


Kodi

by Alonia143



Series: The Kodi Series [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama & Romance, F/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-06-28 13:25:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15708120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alonia143/pseuds/Alonia143
Summary: When Hermione’s only daughter, Kodi Malfoy, is sent to learn from the professors of Hogwarts, things don’t come into focus. Kodi just wishes that her father, Draco Malfoy, was there (for her mother’s sake).Kodi learns that relying on one’s self isn’t always the case. So why is there so much talk about her father anyway?Discover what Kodi goes through of her first school year at Hogwarts. And maybe, just maybe, not everything needs to be in the dark.





	1. Hogwarts bound.

**_ Chapter 1: Hogwarts bound. _ **

 

She was tired.

 

No, she was beyond tired. She was exhausted.

 

Last night wasn’t a very good night for her. Dreaming old dreams and half nightmares coming to life had crept into her mind.

 

In doing so, not getting that much sleep to go on, Hermione forced herself out of her nice warm comfortable soft bed. Stumbling into the bathroom, barely knowing her way blindly around the cupboard and sink, she brushed her teeth, did a spell to fix her tangled frizzy hair and hoped that today wouldn’t be so bad.

 

Even though she was just in her PJ’s shirt and shorts, her heart gave a mighty squeeze.

 

_‘Today I have to let her go,’_ she bitter sweetly thought to herself.

 

For elven years, Hermione has been there for her only daughter: Kodi Lusine Malfoy. After the largest legal battle within the Great Britain Wizarding World, Hermione had claimed Malfoy Manor as Kodi being the last surviving living Malfoy.

 

Shaking her head, knowing that she did not want to relive old memories, Hermione quickly got through brushing her teeth, washing her mouth out and grabbing her cotton bathrobe.

 

Her feet lead her to her daughter’s bedroom door as within her mind’s eye, she saw him. She breathed heavily in and slowly out as she twisted her wrist upside down and pushed the door open.

 

In the spacious grand room that was her daughter’s, Hermione silently walked over to the sleeping elven year old.

 

Bright platinum blonde hair fanned around her daughter’s head. In so many ways, Kodi looked a near spitting image of her father. The only thing that differentiated her from her father was her warm brown eyes. Other than that, she looked nearly like him.

 

However, when it comes to her knowledge of things, she takes after her mother. Thankfully, Hermione had homed schooled Kodi before going to Hogwarts.

 

“Kodi,” she softly said, lightly shaking her shoulder.

 

Her daughter gave a light snore in return. Of course, she had to sleep deeply this morning.

 

“Kodi, honey, wake up,” Hermione tried again, shaking her shoulder a bit more.

 

Kodi popped opened her eyes and said loudly while swiftly sitting up “Polyjuice potion!”

 

Hermione chuckled low to herself and said “Not at Hogwarts just yet, but you are needed to be downstairs,”

 

“Uhg! Mum!” her daughter groaned and rolled over.

 

Clenching her jaw tightly, Hermione breathed deeply.

 

“Come on. We need to get everything in order for you to board the train at 11,” she forced herself to say.

 

“5 more minutes please?” Kodi asked sweetly.

 

“No, come on,” Hermione said back, turning around and walking out of her daughter’s bedroom “Or do you want Peddy to-”

 

“NO! No! I’m up!” Kodi cut her off and flew out of her bed.

 

Peddy was one of the last eagle owls that were hatched in the hatchery of Malfoy Manor. Kodi had named one of them Peddle or Peddy for short.

 

Lately though, Hermione has been seeing Peddy fly into Kodi’s bedroom and screech high next to Kodi’s ear. Or getting a bucket of water from somewhere, flying in and setting it up to the point of Peddy just pushing it with his leg and the bucket with the ice cold water goes down, down, down.

 

The manor was completely different now. When Hermione had taken it, she ordered it to be burned down and rebuilt. To her, the original Malfoy Manor was like that of a prison. She wasn’t going to raise her daughter in that horrid building that was once called “home”.

 

A lot of the house elves didn’t come back to work for her after she tore the manor down. She was fine with that; she learned to do things on her own anyway.

 

Starting from scratch, Hermione put up a beautiful French country house. There were four levels to it: the main, the upstairs, the attic and the basement. 5 bedrooms instead of 12 and 4 bathrooms instead of 8.

 

It wasn’t that bad on the eyes either. Welcoming and warmth when you looked upon it. Plus, not only did it have brick but, a tower too that reminded you of Hogwarts. Mostly if you were a Gryffindor.

 

Hermione looked around her kitchen and wondered how she got here. Shaking her head, she got the kettle going and waited to make breakfast. Lately Kodi has been starting to get picky on what she ate and Hermione just let it happen.

 

_“….Hermione,”_ she heard the soft whisper.

 

Looking around with her heart pounding in her throat, she knew that her memory was playing tricks on her. Again.

 

Kodi walked into the kitchen and looked upon her mother.

 

For the longest time, she only knew of her father from the articles, pictures and stories that her mother, god father Harry and Ron and god mother Ginny told.

 

“Mum?” she asked her.

 

“Oh, hi honey. What would you like to eat?” Hermione asked her in return.

 

“Uh…eggs, sliced up potatoes, sausages and toast,” Kodi replied back, getting her cup of milk.

 

Hermione nodded and started to get that cooked up.

 

“Mum?” Kodi asked a little while later.

 

“Mm?” Hermione replied, making sure that the eggs were cooked.

 

“Can you tell me what to expect upon arriving to Hogwarts?” her daughter asked.

 

Hermione smiled and said “A friend of mine, Hagrid, will call for you first years to him. He will then lead you to the shores of the lake where the boats are at and you will ride across the lake and into the under belly of Hogwarts. From there you will be told to wait outside of the wooden double doors. Hopefully a professor will come out and greet you. When you walk into the Great Hall, there will be four long wooden tables full of previous students that are already sorted. When you gather around a stood and old worn out leather hat, it will start to recite a poem that it had thought of for a whole year. Listen to it carefully as it will explain the houses that you will be interacting and sorted into,”

 

“What house were you sorted in?” She asked her, gently taking her plate with a grateful smile.

 

“Gryffindor,” Hermione told her, refilling her glass of milk.

 

“And Dad?” Kodi asked her unsure.

 

Hermione softly sighed to herself and whispered “Slytherin,”

 

Kodi ate her breakfast in silence after that.

 

Hermione was thankful that her daughter didn’t ask anymore on Draco. She ate her breakfast trying not to let the memories of the past over take her.

 

After all of this time, she still loved him. Harry and Ron did their very best to look for Draco or his body after the war had ended, but it was never found.

 

“I know that you can dress yourself,” Hermione began trying her hardest to think clearly “but, could you put your mum’s nerves at ease that you wear your coat?”

 

Kodi stared at her mother and replied “Sure mummy,”

 

“Thank you honey. Now, want to see some magic?” she said, smiling.

 

“Yes!” Kodi replied happily.

 

So they both got up and walked back to Kodi’s bedroom. Hermione pulled out her wand and winked at her daughter.

 

Kodi stared as she followed her mother’s wand “Winggardium Leviosa,”

 

The trunk, that Hermione had bought months ago on a discount sale in the muggle part of London, suddenly lifted up and floated in the middle of the room.

 

Kodi gasped and looked wide eyed at her mother.

 

“They will be teaching you this within Charms class. Make the gar part of the Winggardium nice and long. And remember to swish and flick,” Hermione said, smiling at the fond childhood memory of her own.

 

“Okay and what do I really need?” Kodi asked her.

 

“Clothes mostly. You will be wearing skirts with knee high socks.” Hermione told her as she groaned “I know, I know, you are use to your jeans, but during the day you will not fit in while class is going,”

 

“Okay fine,” Kodi huffed, wrinkling her nose.

 

For a split second, she saw Draco Malfoy at elven years old again. But thankfully Kodi walked over to her dresser drawer and pulled it open.

 

Hermione heavily sighed and knew that today was going to be extremely hard.

 

“Remember, you will be going through the seasons. So pack very lightly on the summer and heavier on the fall, winter and spring clothes,” she said, trying to distract herself.

 

“Will Uncle Harry be at the Train station, mum?” Kodi asked, trying to help distract her mother too.

 

“Yes, along with your aunt Ginny and Uncle Ron,” Hermione replied, knowing this within a letter that she written a couple of weeks ago.

 

“What are the houses again? Hugglyduff? Eagleray?” Kodi purposely said, smiling.

 

A chuckle escaped Hermione’s mouth and said “No, no. Though those are good nicknames for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,”

 

“What if I’m sorted into either of them?” Kodi asked her seriously.

 

“Then I will be proud of you no matter what. The sorting hat almost sorted me into Ravenclaw but I wanted Gryffindor instead. Also, your uncle Harry was almost sorted into Slytherin and said that the hat was wrong and he too was place into Gryffindor,” Hermione stated, gently putting some jumpers into the trunk.

 

“Really? Uncle Harry? Slytherin?” Kodi exclaimed in shock.

 

“Yeah, so if you want to be in one of the houses, that is fine by me or the professors. No one will say anything bad about it,” Hermione softly encouraged her daughter.

 

Kodi nodded and picked out more of her clothes.

 

They both left the house by Floo powder. They were at the Kings Cross Train Station a block away and hurried to get a trolley.

 

“Mum….will I have friends?” Kodi worried.

 

“I am sure you will make some friends. But remember to accept their differences,” Hermione replied, softly stroking her daughter’s hair.

 

“But…People know that dad helped win the war….” Kodi whispered the truth.

 

Hermione inhaled deeply and held her breath.

 

It was true; Draco did help turn the tides of the war. After he died of course, though no one had found his body within the Forbidden Forest. Narcissa and Lucius searched for Draco and were killed in the final battle, but also taking down a lot of the death eaters too.

 

“If it makes you uncomfortable about talking of him, you can tell them that and if they still want a reaction out of you: walk away. I know that a lot of people will be talking about you, James and Shane,” Hermione told her daughter.

 

Kodi nodded and softly whispered “I wish dad was here, mum. At least you wouldn’t be sad,”

 

Hot stingy cooling tears swelled up in Hermione’s eyes and she just wrapped her arms around Kodi.

 

It was very difficult not to break down crying in a public place. But also it felt so out of place for the war heroine. The muggles that passed by them didn’t have a clue as to what happened. They didn’t go to battle to defend what they loved and hold most near and dear to their hearts. The last major war that was like that was World War II and that ended in the late year of 1945.

 

“Come on,” Hermione said to them both, forcing her emotions down.

 

They walked into the Kings Cross Train Station building and walked to where it was an arch between 9 and 10.

 

Kodi did a running start when she got her trolley positioned. She disappeared onto the other side. Hermione quickly followed after her.

 

There, just only a single black and red train stood, steaming and the platform of platform 9 ¾ wasn’t busy yet.

 

“Come on, let’s get you onto the train itself,” Hermione said looking around at her old classmates.

 

Some, like Luna, Seamus, Oliver and Neville were all there with their own families.

 

“Mum…” Kodi panicked from seeing all of the people.

 

“It’s okay. They won’t do any harm,” Hermione reassured her, softly pushing her forward.

 

“Hermione,” Luna and Neville said at once.

 

“Hi, Luna and Neville. How are you guys?” she asked when she and her daughter were closer to them.

 

Neville gave her a big hug and smiled. Luna hugged her too.

 

“We’re doing great. Let me introduce to you my son, Michael and daughter Millie,” Neville said, smiling at his shy children.

 

“Hello, I’m Hermione,” Hermione softly said, smiling down at them.

 

“Hello,” they said back, not sure of what else to say.

 

“Are they going to Hogwarts this year?” Hermione asked Neville.

 

“Michael is, Millie will be in a few years,” Neville replied.

 

“Who is this, Hermione?” Luna asked her in that soft voice of hers.

 

“Luna, Neville, Michael and Millie. This is my daughter, Kodi Malfoy,” Hermione introduced them to her.

 

Neville looked at Hermione for a long time.

 

“I thought that the rumors were false,” he muttered low.

 

“No, they are not false. This is Draco’s only daughter,” she told him, swallowing thickly.

 

Neville nodded, looking upon Kodi with a distance memory remembering gaze.

 

“I’m not like my dad, Mr. Neville,” Kodi said politely to him.

 

“You look almost like him, Miss Kodi and I hope you don’t ever become like him,” Neville truthfully said to her, hoping that he wasn’t crossing an invisible line here.

 

Hermione said nothing on this. She knew that Kodi would get this a lot.

 

“If I remember correctly,” Luna said “Draco helped destroy a horcrux within the Forbidden Forest,”

 

Kodi looked at Luna with big round eyes of shock.

 

“Luna…” Hermione warned her softly.

 

Luna looked at Hermione and said “Oh I am sorry,”

 

Nodding, Hermione then said “Come on, Kodi,”

 

It was then that Harry and Ron had showed up.  Hermione saw Ginny first as they walked over to each other.

 

“Hermione!” Ginny said happily, hugging her.

 

“Hi,” she said back, hugging her too.

 

“Uncle Harry and Ron!” Kodi exclaimed happily, running up to Harry and hugging him.

 

“Hello Kodi,” Harry replied, returning the hug.

 

“How’s our favorite goddaughter?” Ron teased her, smiling.

 

“Nervous,” she said, looking up at him.

 

Ron had grown taller in the last year when searching for the horcurxes and had a very nasty scar on his left cheek from Greyback in the battle at Hogwarts.

 

“Ah, you’ll be fine,” Ron brushed it off.

 

“Mum isn’t doing well,” Kodi whispered to them both.

 

Harry gently walked her over and knelt down “You know that she loves your father very much. I know that it is terrible for you to grow up without him, but…Draco…wasn’t always that kind to her in the beginning. He was really mean, but I do believe that he grew up over the time that I had to take down Lord Voldemort,”

 

“I wish he was here, Uncle Harry,” Kodi sniffled.

 

Gently, he wrapped her up in his arms and hugged her tightly as she sobbed silently into his shoulder.

 

“So do I,” he whispered, knowing exactly what it felt like.

 

Harry looked over at Ginny who was talking to Neville but, Hermione wasn’t there. He scanned around and saw her standing off with that of Pansy Zabini.

 

“Uh oh,” Harry had said.

 

Uh oh was right.

 

Pansy and Hermione were exchanging some words of some sort as then Hermione punched Pansy in the face! Kodi gasped when she saw this as this was a side she never saw of her mother.

 

“Good punch,” Harry stated, smirking.

 

“Mum!” Kodi said, quickly running towards her mother.

 

Harry reacted fast; he ran after her and in a few strides, snatched her up into his arms.

 

“Merlin’s beard, you will never be a pure as us, you fifthly little mudblood!” Pansy spat at her and walked away with a bloody nose.

 

Blaise Zabini just looked at Hermione and walked away from them.

 

“Uncle harry, let _me_ go!” Kodi hissed as she kicked and wiggled to get free.

 

“Alright, alright,” Harry said and put her back down on her feet.

 

“Mum! Mum!” Kodi exclaimed and hugged her mother fearfully.

 

Hermione’s courage was shattered to dust. Those exact same words were also flung at her when she was in her 2nd year of Hogwarts. By none other than Draco Malfoy.

 

Blindly, she doesn’t remember hugging her daughter nor Harry gently taking her to the side, away from the curious looks and stares.

 

“I promised a long time ago, Hermione,” Harry began to whisper as Hermione buried her face into his shoulder “That I would do everything within my power to look for Draco. I haven’t given up nor have I broken this promise. I am doing everything that I can to find him,”

 

Ginny had put up a spell for them to not be overheard by the other families as she had snarled at Blaise for not keeping his family under control. He drawled back that they had every right to speak, but that was quickly squashed with Ginny growling out that everyone _knew_ that Hermione was still grieving for Draco. It was no sacred secret to keep.

 

“Mum?” Kodi softly whispered to her.

 

“I can’t do this anymore, Harry, I just can’t!” Hermione sobbed into his shoulder; her hands had fisted his coat as she felt her whole world was shattering once more.

 

“Yes you can. I know it’s hard, I know it’s difficult, but you’ve got to live on… for Kodi,” Harry barely murmured in her ear so that Kodi didn’t hear most of it.

 

Hermione had to once more, pick up the busted crushed pieces of her courage, nodding.

 

“Yes, honey,” Hermione said to Kodi, wiping away her tears as best she could.

 

“What’s a mudblood?” Kodi asked her with that confused curious expression that all kids have about something.

 

Hermione looked at Harry for help.

 

“A mudblood, Kodi,” Harry began in a very serious no joking tone “Is a term that pureblood witches and wizards a like use for those who come from Muggle families but are gifted to be a witch or wizard. I do not, for the rest of your life, want you to use that term to anyone who is muggleborn. Your mother is that, muggleborn and she is the greatest witch of our age. Mind you, what I’m about to tell you will paint a completely different story of your father,”

 

“He used it on her,” she said, catching on pretty quickly.

 

“Yes, at every chance that he got up until the last school year for your mother and I. When we were running around, trying to find the rest of the horcurxes to bring Voldemort to an end for good. As I said to you earlier, he really grew up in that short span of months. He was the one who helped turned the tides of the war or else you wouldn’t be here,” Harry continued with a very serious face on.

 

Kodi nodded and said “But why was he so horrible towards mum? She’s really nice and caring. Plus she makes the best homemade lasagna,”

 

Both adults couldn’t help the smiling and chuckling of a child’s honesty.

 

“I hate to intrude on this, but Kodi is going to miss the train,” Ginny softly reminded them all.

 

That sprung Hermione, Kodi and Harry into action. Kodi’s entire luggage was put on the back of the train.

 

“Remember to send me letters whenever you want. I won’t ignore them, I promise Kodi,” Hermione said to her.

 

“Okay mum,” Kodi replied, hugging and kissing her mother on the cheek.

 

“I love you honey and I know you will do great,” Hermione said, hugging and kissing her back.

 

“Just remember, James is going to Hogwarts too for the first time. He will help you, if you need it,” Harry said smiling at her.

 

“Thank you Uncle Harry,” Kodi told him, hugging him swiftly before getting onto the train.

 

At exactly on 11AM, the massive black and red train pulled slowly out of Kings Cross.

 

Hermione was holding onto Harry as Ginny didn’t mind it. Her best friend was hurting and needed all the comfort that she could get.

 

“Please be safe, my angel,” Hermione whispered with hot tears streaking down her face.

 


	2. Finding Kodi.

**_ Chapter 2: Finding Kodi. _ **

 

Kodi watched her mother and godparents disappear from sight as the train rounded a corner. The compartments were already full and so she had the task of walking the singular corridor of the train.

 

She didn’t bother anyone when she saw how full they were, but it was making her worried that she wouldn’t find one at all.

 

“Hey, Kodi!” she heard behind her.

 

Turning on her feet, she looked behind and smiled fondly with “Hello James,”

 

“Come in here. There’s room for you,” he said, smiling.

 

“Alright,” she replied, walking back to his compartment and noticing how empty it truly was.

 

The door slid shut after she walked in and sat down near the window.

 

“How are you?” James asked her curiously.

 

“I’m alright, worried about my mum though,” she answered him, looking at him curiously.

 

“Be careful of who you are friends with. I already overheard that scuffle with your mum and that of Pansy Zabini. They have twins; a son and daughter starting this year with us,” James warned her.

 

“What did Mrs. Zabini say to my mum?” Kodi asked him.

 

“Something that us kids would never repeat unless we’re already out of the house,” James tried to joke.

 

Kodi gave him a glare on wasting her time.

 

“Fine, fine. Pansy said that your mother shouldn’t have lived through the war. That Lord Voldemort was doing what should have been done years ago, but the worst part of it was the fact that your father is a traitor to them all,” James said, heavily sighing with sadness.

 

“What?” Kodi said in disbelief.

 

Kodi has known James all of her life. Hermione and Ginny thought it would be good for the children to be around one another. So the children grew up with each other.

 

“I know, it doesn’t make that much sense, but that’s what I overheard,” James said to her.

 

James was a near spitting image of Harry; dark black hair, emerald green eyes and round glasses. Many people thought that James Potter; Harry’s father, had come back to life.

 

“But, my father saved the wizarding world! He helped turn the tides against… Lord Voldemort,” Kodi protested.

 

“I know, but to many of the purebloods, the most sucked into that wrong way of thinking still think that way. Just that now, a lot of them, didn’t get away with just a light smack on the hand. Pansy had to serve some time in Azkaban for what she did,” James retorted back.

 

Kodi huffed and looked out the window. The train was still traveling through the city.

 

“I just wish that he was here,” she whispered almost to herself.

 

James felt bad for her. He couldn’t bring Draco back. No one could bring the dead back.

 

“I know,” James said, gently reaching across the space between them and took her hand into his.

 

“My mum said that we should be in our robes. They expect us to be for tonight and well into the school year,” she said, changing the subject.

 

“I’ll leave so that you can change first,” he told her, getting up and walking out without her saying anything else.

 

Heavily sighing, Kodi got her robes out and got changed. When she walked out, she saw James talking to Teddy Lupin.

 

Teddy Lupin was tall, about 6’2 almost 6’3. Slender built and had the cool eyes of his father but, is also a metamorphmagus. He inherited that from his mother, Tonks.

 

“I hope to be with Hufflepuff,” James had said to Teddy.

 

“Well, I am here if you need me,” Teddy said smiling at the young kid.

 

“James?” Kodi spoke up.

 

They both looked at her.

 

“You can change now,” she told him.

 

“Thank you,” James said almost with relief?

 

He walked into the compartment as Kodi walked a bit away from the windows.

 

“Hello Kodi, have a nice summer?” Teddy asked her, to preoccupy her time.

 

“Yes,” She said, not wanting to sound like a whiny cry baby.

 

“Good, good. Listen, I hope that whenever something happens and I mean anything, you can come talk to me. I won’t mind it, honest,” Teddy said, hoping that would ease her worry.

 

“Thank you Teddy,” Kodi said, smiling up at him.

 

“Okay, Kodi, I’ve changed,” James said from their compartment.

 

“Talk to you later, Teddy,” She said and walked back.

 

Teddy just nodded as he turned around and walked down the train corridor again.

 

“Did you go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies?” James asked her curiously when she walked back in.

 

“Yeah, I did. My mom had said that during her last year…though it’s truly not, it was completely different. It wasn’t warm and overflowing with wizards and witches and their families. If you had to be there, it was because you must be and traveled in a small group. The shops were all boarded up and/or empty or destroyed. She showed me clippings of it. It was strange,” Kodi told him, sitting in her spot on the bench.

 

“Yeah, my dad said that he hoped that place never gets like that. Ever. Did you hear what happened to Shane?” James asked her curiously.

 

“No?” she at once said, curious now.

 

“Well you know how he loves to fly and such, right? His parents were getting him his books in Flourish and Blotts when he wandered over to Quality Quidditch Supplies. He saw the latest broom, The Lunar Phoenix and didn’t even touch it. It just jumps out, through the display glass and into his hands. Everyone around him screamed because of the glass shattering and he just holding the latest broom like it was nothing! His parents swiftly came over and looked around; mostly that of his dad,” James told her as Shane walked into their compartment.

 

“Shane!” She greeted him, looking him over.

 

“I’m alright, just grounded for the school year,” he grumbled, sitting beside James.

 

“What happened after that?” Kodi asked them both.

 

“My mum did a spell to fix the broken glass and my dad took me straight home. Not realizing that I still had a hold of the Lunar Phoenix. When he did, it was already too late. The store owner saw the whole thing and had given it to me, to hope make things go smoother for my dad,” Shane explained to them.

 

James had his mouth open in utter shock. Kodi just shook her head at it all.

 

“They let you keep the fastest broom yet?” James said in awe.

 

“Yeah. My own father had to get it away from me to your place. Your own father wasn’t so sure that it was real. Because you know, he owns the Firebolt. And well, I didn’t get to see that broom apart of my punishment,” Shane pouted.

 

“Man, I know that you will to get an Outstanding within the flying part of our classes,” James told him.

 

“What houses are you guys going to be in?” Shane asked either of them.

 

“I hope to be in Hufflepuff,” James said, smiling.

 

“Kodi?” Shane asked her.

 

“I don’t know. If I get sorted into one of them…” she began, but falling silent as she felt this hidden pressure.

 

“Hey,” James said softly “If you get sorted into Slytherin, don’t worry about it from us. We’ll always be there, like our parents kept telling us all our lives,”

 

Shane snorted with a eye roll and said “Yeah, though it’s kind of hard to forget that line from our parents,”

 

Kodi shrugged and said “If I am sorted… into… Gryffindor….I won’t feel bad,”

 

“My dad told me that you can tell the hat what house you want,” James said, “He told it anything but Slytherin,”

 

Kodi was curious on this and asked “And he was sorted into Gryffindor, right?”

 

“Yeah. So if you don’t want to be in a house, and then tell it what you want,” he concluded as the lady and trolley cart was passing by.

 

“Can we take everything please?” James asked politely.

 

She smiled softly and said “Just like your dad,”

 

So, they got all what was on the cart and dug in.

 

Kodi started to write to her mother, it was nice and all within a couple of hours, but she didn’t want to be stuck in the train compartment all day.

 

She had gotten out Peddy who was fast asleep at the time and giving Kodi a severe glare.

 

“Please, just take this to mum, I miss her,” Kodi whispered to him.

 

He took the letter, gently leaned down and nipped softly at her index finger before she and Shane opened the window and he was taken off of their hands in a big whoosh.

 

They saw him a few seconds later; ruffling his feathers as if to say “THE NERVE!” and then took flight.

 

The kids passed the time by eating their sweets, Kodi asking them questions on magic from Hogwarts: A History book and a little about the kids that they do know.

 

“What are the twins anyway?” she asked either of the boys.

 

“Robert and Rebecca Zabini? They’re awful. You saw how their parents were towards your own mother and my dad,” James retorted back.

 

“Not truly identical, but born just a few hours apart. They pick on everyone who isn’t pureblood and are stuck in the old ways just like their parents,” Shane sneered.

 

Kodi nodded and changed the subject when said twins opened the door.

 

“Well, well. The rumors are true,” the boy, Robert sneered at them.

 

“What rumors, Zabini? That we are all heading to Hogwarts? Fantastic,” James drawled back.

 

“That that Blood traitor had a child. We owled our parents about it and they told us, that he died a mis-” the girl, Rebecca began but an adult voice interrupted her.

 

“What is going on here?” a male asked her with disgust.

 

The twins whirled around and said at once “It’s their fault!”

 

“How so? That you are personally harassing them or that you want them in trouble?” the man asked them, folding his arms with displeasure.

 

The twins didn’t know what to do except imitate that of a gold fish.

 

The man took out his wand and sent something like a ghost, but it wasn’t that as it bounded away.

 

“The headmistress will know what you have done and will have detention with me. Now leave,” The man scolded the twins.

 

They snapped out of it and ran back to their compartment with shocked faces.

 

“Thank you sir,” Kodi softly spoke up, not wanting to be in trouble on the first night.

 

He turned around and looked at her.

 

Kodi saw a man who had dark brown hair; graying in some areas, kind soft gray blue eyes that were hidden under a mask. He was hunched over a little with a walking cane.

 

“Your names?” he asked at once.

 

“James Potter,” James told him.

 

“Shane Weasley,” Shane said next.

 

“K-Kodi M-M-Malfoy,” Kodi stammered fearfully.

 

The man gazed at her and whispered “That _can’t_ be. The last Malfoy had …”

 

“Professor?” James softly explained “Kodi is the daughter of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Hermione had Kodi sometime after the battle of Hogwarts had ended. Is there anything wrong with that?”

 

The professor gazed at James for a little bit and then looked at Kodi and said “Watch your back. People like those two will continue to torment you. Learn to have a thick skin and friends,”

 

And with that, he turned around and walked away.

 

“That was ….odd,” Shane said confused.

 

“Yeah, but he helped us out. I wonder why he was so shocked.” James said next, looking at Kodi.

 

Kodi didn’t know what to think, the professor was strange. Even if he had a mask on, he looked to have panicked. But why? And why did he take the train and not use the Floo network?

 

Pretty soon the train pulled into the station and just like her mother said, there was a loud voice calling all first years to him.

 

“Whoa,” Shane said, looking up at Hagrid in awe.

 

“First years! Don’t be shy! First years please!” Hagrid yelled for them.

 

Pretty soon they had all gathered but, Kodi turned around as she felt like someone was watching her. And there, just getting into horseless carriage, was that odd professor.

 

He was having some trouble getting into it.

 

Abandoning Hagrid and the group, Kodi walked over and gently put her hands on his lower back when he was about to fall backwards.

 

“Whooa!” She exclaimed in shocked.

 

He stopped trying and turned to look at her.

 

“You shouldn’t be here,” He told her.

 

“I saw you and wanted to help,” she simply said back.

 

“Come on, you won’t be heading with the group since they left already,” The professor said in almost defeat.

 

She nodded and helped him in first as she got in next.

 

“What is driving this?” she asked him, looking at the ground.

 

“A thestrals. Only when you can see them is if you have seen someone die,” He mumbled, looking out the window.

 

“Oh…” she mumbled back and looked outside.

 

“Professor McGonagall will want to know what happened to you on the train tomorrow. She’s the Headmistress of Hogwarts,” He said, not liking the awkward silence.

 

“What’s your name?” she asked him, nodding to what he said previously.

 

“Professor Carl. That is all you need to know,” Professor Carl answered back.

 

“Okay. Just thank you for helping me and my friends,” Kodi said, not liking the awkward conversation at all.

 

“You’re welcome. It’s been some time since Lord Voldemort was in power. No more dividing from what happened here. I won’t be able to bail you out of trouble all the time. If you start it, you will have detention with me,” Professor Carl warned her up front.

 

She nodded and swallowed nervously.

 

“If those two keep harassing you, keep walking. The other professors at Hogwarts already know and have decided to do something about it instead of just letting it be like in past years. If you are not the one who reacts to it, which I know is a lot asking from a child, and then they will always be in the wrong and fearful of who comes around the corner,” Professor Carl continued.

 

“But then I will be bullied when there will be no one around to help me,” Kodi protested to him.

 

“Then I suggest, though no one will actually know of this conversation….Miss Malfoy…. That sending a few counter spells wouldn’t hurt anyone. You know how to use your wand by now, I hope?” Professor Carl sneered a bit at the end.

 

“Mum never let me use her wand, but always showed me what magic was,” Kodi snapped at him.

 

It had the professor silenced for a bit scuffing “That won’t help you at all,”

 

“How so? Because my mum saw War Professor?” Kodi snapped at him, hot tears swelling up.

 

The professor bit his tongue and looked outside. They were in the middle of the long trek up to the castle.

 

“No, it’s not that your mum saw war, Miss Malfoy, it’s the fact that she is scared to let you even know what happened. Letting you not have a wand is stupid on the sense of you both being witches. It’s like you not being able to walk but, you do it anyway,” Professor Carl said.

 

Kodi felt hurt by his opinions but, knew that this would happen.

 

“Get your wand out,” he growled low, startling her.

 

She did what he asked and during the rest of their short time together, he taught her some spells that would help with anyone who bullied her.

 

“If I ever see you doing this out of spite,” Professor Carl growled out “You will be in detention for a month and half,”

 

She nodded and said “Thank you, and I promise I won’t act out of anger towards anyone who bullies me,”

 

“Yeah well…I can’t believe that your mum thought that you could walk through here and think nothing will happen to you. Nothing against how she raised you, just her way of thinking doesn’t add up,” Professor Carl said, shaking his head.

 

“She’s wracked with grief, Professor! Every single day, she cries when she thinks I’m not looking. She has told me stories and shown me pictures of my dad and what he had done to turn the tide against Lord Voldemort. In many ways I wish he was here so that she can stop grieving,” Kodi snapped at him.

 

“Watch your tone. And if you are this upset of when anyone talks about him or speaks of their fathers, then you need to get a grip on it. The bullies will not just back off if you ask them too. They will use this information to their own ends to hurt you,” Professor Carl snarled back at her.

 

Kodi nodded and glared at the ground. It was unfair.

 

The carriage finally came to a stop and the Professor got out with a few awkward hops.

 

“If you are sorted into Gryffindor, at least you will be like your mum. If you are sorted into Slytherin…I can’t protect you there,” Professor Carl whispered low when she stepped out of the carriage.

 

“Why? Are you the head of house?” she asked him curiously.

 

“I am. And I won’t show favoritism to any student,” he informed her, steadying her out when she almost lost her balance.

 

“But in Gryffindor I will be safe?” she said, knowing that this might help her.

 

“Yes. Now I’ll you the great hall doors, but I have to go inside. Stand in front of the doors if you don’t see anyone else. They are still probably crossing the lake,” Professor Carl grumbled and walked into the castle.

 

Kodi kept up with the Slytherin Professor easily and when they came to the great wooden double doors of the great hall, it was empty.

 

“Stay here and _be_ good,” was his final warning before slipping into the great hall.

 

Kodi had a lot to think about.

 

It was weird to know that this professor had helped her and her friends on the train. Let alone again in the carriage to use against the bullies here in self defense.

 

Then the subject of how sensitive she truly was to the subject of her father. He was right that she did need to get a thicker skin on whenever someone talked about their parents or on their fathers.

 

Sitting down on the first stone step, she looked around the great hall in awe. She was finally here. Finally at Hogwarts.

 

_‘But why do I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders?’_ she asked herself.

 

But she also knew that what he had said to her, about being in Gryffindor, that she would be safe there. But what about Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw? Wouldn’t they keep her safe too?

 

She heavily sighed and when she heard the footsteps of her peers and friends, she got up and then walked over to a pillar. She hid behind it.

 

“Where is Kodi?” she heard Shane asked someone.

 

“She’ll turn up. Don’t worry, Shane,” James replied back, not sounding that worried about her.

 

It was then that the double doors opened and walked out Professor McGonagall.

 

She hadn’t changed all that much in the last 11 years; her hair has gotten gray-er and more wrinkles have appeared but, she still looked the same in her emerald cloak and pointy hat.

 

“Welcome to Hogwarts. I am the headmistress, Professor McGonagall and Head of house of Gryffindor. There are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. Now your house will be like your family. Treating each other with respect and your fellow classmates. You will be sorted into your houses shortly. You get points if you answer a question correctly or have done something that goes above and beyond what was asked. Any rule breaking, you will lose points. At the end of the school year, the house with enough points, will win the house cup. Now before I go back inside, have any of you seen Miss Malfoy?” Professor McGonagall had said to them all.

 

Kodi didn’t know what had gotten a hold of her, just that she stepped out from her hiding spot and said “I’m right here, Professor,”

 

Professor McGonagall heavily sighed and said “Please follow me, Miss Malfoy,”

 

Shane and James looked both relieved that she was alright and that they were worried for her.

 

Kodi followed Professor McGonagall down the hallway and to the grand staircase. She looked up in awe as the staircases moved on their own.

 

“Hermione! _Hermione!_ Knowing Professor McGonagall, Kodi is safe and with her!” she heard Uncle Harry down a corridor.

 

“I don’t care Harry!” her mum retorted back.

 

“Am I in trouble, Professor?” Kodi whispered to Professor McGonagall.

 

“No, dear. Just when I had heard that you were missing, your mother got here as soon as she possibly could. You are her only child and don’t want you to be lost or hurt. It brings out her protective side if you will,” Professor McGonagall replied back as both Harry and Hermione was soon spotted.

 

Harry had to run to keep up with Hermione but it was useless. Never come in between a mother and her cub. Or it will be the last thing that you will do.

 

“Mum!” Kodi said and running towards her, wrapping her arms around her mother’s neck.

 

“OH god, Kodi!” Hermione exclaimed, hugging her daughter tightly.

 

“I made it mum, I made it to Hogwarts!” Kodi exclaimed excitedly.

 

“Yes, yes you did. But what were you thinking of parting from the group! You know better than that Kodi Lusine Malfoy!” Hermione scolded her daughter with warm relief tears in her eyes.

 

Kodi winced at her full name being spoken out in the open and replied “Professor Carl was having difficulties getting into his carriage. I wanted to help him!”

 

“Professor Carl?” Professor McGonagall asked her in shock.

 

“Yeah. He helped get the twins away when they were bullying us on the train,” Kodi said to them all.

 

“The Zabini twins?” Harry asked to clarify.

 

“Yes, them,” Kodi said to him with force.

 

“I will be having a long talk with them,” Hermione snarled.

 

“Mum, it’s not worth it. They will continue to bully me because I don’t have a dad. But Professor Carl was very nice and said that Hogwarts has changed since Lord Voldemort has been defeated,” Kodi said, hoping that her mother doesn’t do just that.

 

The adults were silent for some time until some scuffling sound could be heard.

 

“Ah, Professor McGonagall…” Professor Carl began but stopped.

 

All three adults turned to him as Kodi smiled at him in friendliness.

 

“Professor Carl, please let me introduce you to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Potter, Granger, this is Professor Carl. Head of Slytherin and Potions Master,” Professor McGonagall introduced them all.

 

Hermione stared at his black mask that covered one side of his face to the other. He wasn’t that tall, probably around 5’8 at most but if he didn’t hunch down, he could have been 6’2. His warm gray eyes were locked onto her and then swung towards Harry.

 

“Hello, thank you for alerting Professor McGonagall that Kodi was missing,” Harry greeted him, smiling a little.

 

“No trouble, Mr. Potter,” he replied back and then looked at Kodi.

 

“The sorting is almost finished. If you like she can be sorted in your office, headmistress,” Professor Carl told Professor McGonagall.

 

“I was thinking that,” Professor McGonagall agreed to this suggestion.

 

“Where did James Potter end up?” Harry asked Professor Carl curiously.

 

“Gryffindor. He’s a chip off the old block,” Professor Carl almost sneered at him.

 

Harry was stunned and nodded.

 

Hermione then stepped forward “Thank you for keeping my daughter safe. I don’t know how to repay you,”

 

Professor Carl studied her for a bit and then said “Why don’t you let her grow up? She can’t always come crying to you. She’s only 11 years old, for Merlin’s sake. In some years, she will be heading out into the world and she can’t be afraid of what will be out there. Granted mind you, that there is not Dark Lord this time, but there still bad people, Miss Granger,”

 

This angered both Harry and Hermione but, what the potion master had just said was true.

 

“Come along,” Professor McGonagall defused the tension as Kodi walked up Professor Carl smiling.

 

“And don’t think we are friends, either, Miss Malfoy,” the professor snarled at her. “I can never replace your father, so don’t think you can find it within me,”

 

She stopped and her smile disappeared into a frown.

 

Hermione walked in front of her daughter and glared at him.

 

They walked up to the headmistress’s office and found the sorting hat with some dinner sitting on the desk.

 

The office itself hadn’t changed at all either. The adults walked into the office as Kodi looked around curiously.

 

“Please stand here, Miss Malfoy,” Professor McGonagall got her attention.

 

She swallowed nervously as she walked over and stood as Professor McGonagall put the hat on her head.

 

“Ah…yes…a lot of brains and thoughts are within this mind …Ravenclaw would be best,” the hat hissed low in her ear.

 

“No,” She whispered to it.

 

“Hmm…cunning features, probably, Slytherin?” it said next.

 

“No…” she whispered low to it.

 

“No? Are you sure? You could be great you know?” the hat hissed again.

 

“Please, not Slytherin,” she whispered back.

 

“I sorted your mother and father into their houses but, GRYFFINDOR is the best place for you,” the hat hissed once more.

 

She didn’t realize that she had her eyes close during the whole thing. So when she opened them, she saw Harry and her mum smiling, but Professor Carl nodding with a snarl.

 

“That’s wonderful!” Harry said to her.

 

“Do you think…?” Kodi began nervously looking at her mum “That dad would’ve been ok with that choice, mum?”

 

Professor Carl stared at her but kept his mouth shut.

 

“He would have been fine with it, after making some jokes and jeers,” Hermione said sadly.

 

“I wish I could’ve met him, mum,” Kodi said for the thousandth time.

 

“Me too, honey, me too. However, you need to eat what we have here and then Uncle Harry and I will show you to the Gryffindor tower,” Hermione said, changing the subject at once.

 

Professor Carl listened to them all talk, but only one of them saw him sneak out of the office.

 

After they had dinner and Harry talked to Professor Dumbledore with Kodi, they showed her where the Gryffindor Tower was at.

 

“You’ll enjoy being in Gryffindor,” Hermione told her daughter.

 

It was then that there was a collective gasp.

 

“Dad! Aunt Hermione?” James said in shock.

 

“Hello James. You got yourself a friend here,” Harry greeted his eldest son.

 

“Oh? Did you find Kodi?” he asked worriedly.

 

“Yeah I got sorted into Gryffindor,” she said walking over to him, smiling.

 

“That’s awesome! Shane will be thrilled to know that. He’s in Gryffindor too,” James told her, smiling back.

 

“Well Ron and Ally will be happy to hear that,” Harry said as the other students were still staring at him and Hermione.

 

“Now, it’s off to bed for all of you,” Professor McGonagall broke the spell “And I do hope, Miss Malfoy, that you don’t get lost on your first day,”

 

Harry blushed a bit at that as Kodi giggled.

 

“I won’t Professor. Mum made me memorize the school grounds,” she told her.

 

“Good,” Professor McGonagall said and walked out of the Gryffindor common room.

 

“Honey, I will owl you some time in the few days. I want you to learn and be here for a bit. I hope you get some sleep and good luck for tomorrow,” Hermione told her, hugging her once more.

 

“Thank you mum and I will. Same with you please,” Kodi said, hugging her mum back.

 

Hermione heavily sighed and whispered “It’s not that simple, but I will try,”

 

“Thank you Mum. Good night and good night Uncle Harry,” Kodi said to them both.

 

“Good night Kodi and I hope you enjoy your time here,” Harry replied, hugging her too.

 

The adults walked out of the common room and left the children to go to bed.

 

Kodi walked to the spiral stone staircase and walked to the door to her right. She found the only bed empty and got ready for bed.

 

She had so many things to question on. So many thoughts and memories to rethink about. However, sleep found her soon enough.

 

Somewhere down in the dungeons was a professor who was trying to think of ways to protect Kodi from the bullies. He couldn’t just let her be the victim this year. He was planning to do something about it.


	3. First Day.

Chapter 3: first day.

The next day, Kodi was in the great hall eating her breakfast. 

Everyone that was older then her were still waking up, paying no attention to her at all. The First years however, were whispering on what house she was sorted into; though her sitting at the Gryffindor table may have given them all a hint.

Shane had sat down next to her, yawning.

“Ah! There you are. What house are you in?” he asked, barely had his eyes open.

“I thought I told you, Shane?” She said confused.

“Mm? No, no you didn’t,” he said, reaching blindly for something.

“I’m a Gryffindor,” she told him, handing him a piece of toast.

“Oooh! A Gryffindor?” he nearly sang but it got everyone’s attention.

“Shane, will you shut up,” James snarled at him.

Kodi suddenly didn’t feel like eating.

“What? I think it’s awesome that she’s a Gryffindor!” Shane sang loudly again.

“Leave Kodi alone. Unless you want your father to be summoned here when we all know that he and my father are still looking for the Death eaters that are on the run!” James snapped at him more.

Kodi grabbed her books and some toast and left the great hall.

SMACK!

“AH! James!” Shane exclaimed, looking at him with his eyes open now.

“I’m writing to my mum on this one,” James hissed low and grabbed some food on the go and his bag and ran after Kodi.

Shane shrank in fear and swallowed.

“Kodi!” James said looking around, but he couldn’t find her at all.

Kodi however was down a corridor and walking hurriedly without really seeing where she was going.

“AAH!” she shrieked as she fell onto her butt and back.

“Keep your eyes open,” Professor Carl drawled at her, flicking his wrist and all of her stuff was off of the ground as it was back in her book bag.

“S-s-sorry,” she stammered, quickly getting to her feet again.

He looked her over and sighed heavily.

“Running from whatever happened in the Great hall won’t help you,” He told her as she took her things again.

“I’m not use to other people making fun of me,” she retorted back with a glare.

A small smirk lifted Professor Carl’s lips “Well this is a start. I’m proud of you,”

She glared up at him and huffed that was all her mother’s.

“So what happened this time?” he asked, gently steering her to the courtyard.

“Shane was telling everyone around us that I am a Gryffindor. Even the other professors were looking at him,” she explained to her potions master.

Professor Carl snorted and said “He just wanted all of the rumors to die down. Regardless, he didn’t have the right to tell everyone that,”

“Professor…will they ever stop?” she asked him curiously.

“I’m afraid that they won’t. Next time that he does it, just tell him the time of how his father was during Hogwarts,” Professor Carl told her.

“But….that would be mean,” she exclaimed, not sure on that.

“I know, but what he did wasn’t nice either. Now, what class do you have first?” he asked her, looking around.

“Charms, Flying lessons and then potions with you all afternoon,” she replied following the potions professor.

“Go to the third floor corridor. The paintings can help if you get lost,” Professor Carl pointed the way.

She nodded and said “Thank you, Professor and good morning,”

“You’re welcome…” Professor Carl mumbled, as he then walked to the great hall.

Kodi was the first one to be at Charms. Her stomach rumbled a bit as she wished she had not run out of the great hall.

Professor Flitwick walked to his classroom, yawning a bit.

“Oh my,” he said when he spotted Kodi.

“Good morning Professor,” she greeted him with a shy smile.

“Good morning, though aren’t you here a little early?” he asked curiously.

“Y-yes,” she stammered, hoping that she wasn’t in trouble.

“Well, Miss Malfoy, how about you help me with getting things ready and I can get you some breakfast. Although this will only be a onetime occurrence, you understand?” he replied, looking over his glasses at her with a smile.

She nodded in shock.

The door opened on its own as he walked in. Kodi soon followed and looked around the room.

It felt closed in to her. The wooden seats where they would be seated were like that of a muggle court house. 

“There you are, Miss Malfoy,” Professor Flitwick told her, pointing to the simple eggs, potatoes, toast and sausages on a plate.

“Thank you, sir!” she exclaimed and quickly dug in.

“I have heard from Professor Carl that you are also having trouble with the Zabini twins?” Professor Flitwick asked her kindly.

She quickly swallowed and cleaned her mouth with her napkin, replying “Yes sir. I don’t completely understand why it’s so hard for them or anyone else to think that having a mum or dad is weird?”

“Well, it’s not considered normal in their eyes. And what your father did to help us win the war…they should be grateful instead of doing this,” he huffed at the end.

“Professor…what did my father do in the war?” she asked him curiously.

“Didn’t your mother tell you?” he asked back.

“No. Any mentioning of him sends her into a deep sadness. Just that he was in Slytherin, was on the Slytherin Quidditch team in his second year and was a bully around school,” she told him, gently putting her napkin on her plate.

Professor Flitwick nodded and said “He was indeed those things and had done them too. However, under all of his…despite shall we say? He did love and care about your mother very much,”

“How did they meet?” she wondered, knowing that he couldn’t give her all of the answers.

Professor Flitwick smiled and then said “Why don’t you ask the Headmistress when classes are done for today or this weekend?”

“Okay and thank you for telling me more about him and for breakfast, professor,” Kodi said as the students trickled in.

James and Shane sat on either side of her with egg sandwiches.

“Oh thank you!” she told them both.

“I am sorry, Kodi,” Shane said in shame.

“I just don’t want to be the number one of the gossip mill,” she told them both.

“Kind of hard to not be there when your father did save our world from Lord Voldy,” James said back, smiling at her.

She nodded and class began after that.

Several students had thrown their wands by accident when they were trying “swish and flick”. Professor Flitwick didn’t mind all of this; they were first years after all. 

“Now,” Professor Flitwick said all too knowingly “that we have practiced that trick. It is onto to see if any of you can make the feathers that are in front of you, levitate or fly in the air. Remember, Winggardium Leviosa,”

Kodi bit her lower lip out of nervousness and the other students started once more. Her mother’s words echoed in her head as she swished her wand and then flicked her wrist at the last moment.

“Tah! See here! Miss Malfoy has done it!” Professor Flitwick in joy, smiling at her.

Kodi had closed her eyes and opened them swiftly as she saw the feather floating just above her head.

“You are mother’s daughter,” Professor Flitwick proudly told her “10 points to Gryffindor!”

The other students looked on and then went back to trying to get their feathers to levitate in the air too.

“Good job, Kodi!” James exclaimed, smiling at her.

“Yeah!” Shane said too.

“Thanks,” she mumbled to them, blushing.

“Not all of you have mastered this spell. For the remainder of this week and into next, we will be working on it. Miss Malfoy, since you mastered this spell, I would like for you to help the others unless they don’t want it,” Professor Flitwick told them all “Class dismiss for today,”

Kodi grabbed her book bag and put her feather into it.

“What’s next?” she asked James once they were walking out into the hallway.

“Next up is flying lessons and then lunch,” James said from memory.

“Ah, flying,” Shane dreamily said, with a goofy grin.

“Gee, Shane why don’t you just marry it?” Kodi said without second thought.

Both boys stared at her with gaping mouths, since that wasn’t like her at all.

“Do you think that I could play? For real?” he asked her softly.

“If that is where your heart truly lies, then yes. Besides, it’s within your family to be flying. Your father was on the team as well as yours James,” she told them, smiling.

“Yeah. But what about you-?”

“You know that my mum hates flying,” she cut in.

“Really, Granger,” a new voice entered their conversation.

“Leave us alone, Zabini,” James hissed at them with a glare.

“Ooh look at that! Granger has a boyfriend!” the sister joyfully said with a sick smile.

Not sure of what to do, Kodi grabbed James’s sleeve along with Shane’s and pulled them away.

“Just ignore them,” she muttered low.

“Running away again, Granger?” they taunted her.

“Zabini!” all of them froze.

That wasn’t a kid’s voice. That was an adult.

Professor Carl walked up to them, glaring with “25 points from Slytherin, for harassing the other students!”

“What? We didn’t do anything wrong!” the girl protested.

“Yes you did and have been since last night. I already talked to the Headmistress and you will be surviving detention with me. And don’t try to get out of this one. I already had a very lovely chat with your parents,” Professor Carl replied back.

Rebecca got so angry; she walked right up to Kodi and then slapped her hard across her face.

“AH!” Kodi cried out and stumbled backwards into James.

“You don’t belong in our world, Granger,” Rebecca snarled at her.

“No, I’m afraid that it is you who don’t belong in the wizarding world,” Shane shot back as James was nearly shaking with anger as he held Kodi.

“50 points from Slytherin,” Professor Carl declared, which was huge for the house points.

Everyone else was in awe at what was happening.

“What is wrong with you?” a third year Slytherin snapped at the twins.

“She’s just a kid! Leave her alone!” another Slytherin stepped in too.

Robert grabbed his sister by the sleeve and pulled her away as Professor Carl then said “Follow me since you two will now be speaking to the Headmistress. Everyone go back to class,”

Kodi had tears trickling down her face as the older Slytherins walked gingerly up to the trio.

“We’re not here to fight or cause anymore damage,” the girl Slytherin softly said.

“Then what do you want?” James whispered low, glaring at them.

“We want to make sure that you first years get to your flying class on time. Also, Ally here is going for her medical magic OWLs,” the boy said smiling at her.

“Jake, don’t brag. He wants to see if being in the ministry is really worth it,” she replied and gently took out her wand.  
Shane looked at Kodi who didn’t move from James’s arms.

“I promise it won’t hurt. It will actually be soothing,” Ally softly said to Kodi.

“O-okay,” she sniffled as she felt the tip of Ally’s wand light brushed against her cheek.

Whatever healing charm that Ally had done, it did feel soothing. Like cold water running down her cheek but without the water part.

“There, now it’s not so red and you look a lot better,” Ally said smiling.

“Come on, Kodi, we have to get to the training field,” James said to her.

She nodded as everyone who had seen what happened, was no longer there.

The five of them walked to the training field where Madam Hooch was waiting.

“Miss Malfoy, you alright?” she asked, looking at her.

“…I think I will professor,” she mumbled, not wanting to draw any more attention to her.

“Alright class!” Madam Hooch said loudly which got all of their attention. “Today we will learn how to get our brooms from the ground, mount it and then hover just a few feet off of the ground,” 

“Whoa! Look at them!” one of them said, pointing to a trio of flyers.

In came on their brooms was Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Professor Carl.

The kids smiled, laughed and watched the three wizards zoom from the castle; circling and zigzagging, all the way down to where the kids were.

They cheered when the three of them just landed silently near the gates.

“Hello class!” Harry said, walking up to them with his old Firebolt in hand.

“That’s Harry Potter!” one of them whispered to their best friend.

“As you know, I’m Harry Potter. This is my best mate, Ron Weasley and your potions master and head of Slytherin, Professor Carl,” Harry introduced himself to the class.

“We are here to help you get use to flying on a broom,” Ron said next, smiling as every single of them listened.

“After what happened with that of Miss Malfoy, the staff and I decided to have extra help with the bullying. Granted, it’s always a part of your life, but no one should be bullied because of their parents, blood status or how you are the way you are,” Professor Carl snapped them all out of it at once.

Madam Hooch nodded to Professor Carl “And I’m guessing that not all of us professors or adults can be there at the scene whenever it takes place?”

“No. That is why we are asking you, the students, to step up and protect the student that is being bullying,” Professor Carl said and moved closer on his brooms towards the students.

“How are you doing that?” one of them asked curiously.

“Madam Hooch is an excellent teacher when it comes to flying. But that isn’t the issue here,” Harry spoke up.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered very low “Wait until Hermione hears of this,”

Harry swallowed and then said “So will you promise Ron and me that you will do your part whenever someone is getting bullied?”

“Yes!” the kids excitedly replied, smiling.

“Hey Shane!” Ron said loudly.

“Yeah?” Shane drawled back, hoping the ground will swallow him up.

“Did you forget your Lunar Phoenix?” Ron asked loudly.

Every student gasped except James and Kodi.

“Shane Weasley wasn’t lying?” one kid whispered to another.

“I can’t believe that he owns a Lunar Phoenix! I thought that the Firebolt was fast!” another kid said in hushed tones.

“He owns a Lunar Phoenix,” Harry said to them all.

Shane walked over to his dad and whispered “Thought I was grounded from it, remember?”

“If I give it to you, you can probably get onto the team here. Besides, if you don’t make it onto the team this year, there is always next year,” Ron whispered back at him, smiling.

Shane nodded and took his broom and flew on it towards the line of students. Madam Hooch was smiling at him flying so well of this young of an age. Then again, Ron did teach his son how to fly very early.

Kodi was watching Shane as she wanted to fly too.

“You’ll have a turn at hovering soon!” Madam Hooch told them all.

A lot of groaning was heard.

“Now, I want you to say Up with your hand out in front of you! Go!” Madam Hooch told them all.

A lot of kids were screaming “Up”. Kodi looked at the very old broom that shook slightly.

“Up,” she said softly and it jolted into her hand.

“Not bad, Kodi,” Harry smiled at her.

She was almost off balance but smiled up at him.

“Take hold of your broom. Mount it, I want you to lift off gently, hover and land back down. I don’t think I want another repeat of Neville Longbottom,” Madam Hooch said warmly.

Harry and Ron smirked at this.

Shane showed them what Madam Hooch wanted with stating “It’s not that hard to do. Don’t worry about not knowing how to fly or hover. The broom, though they are archaic, will know what to do,”

“20 points for Gryffindor,” Madam Hooch said when she saw him do this.

Kodi smiled at her friend and slowly felt her feet leave the ground.

Professor Carl watched her as she hovered high above the students. Her nails dug into the wooden handle out of fear of heights.

“How…how do I make it go down?” she squeaked a bit.

“Lean forward and you will be back on the ground,” he told her, knowing that she was terrified.

She closed her eyes and leaned forward slightly. Her feet felt the ground but her legs didn’t hold her up.

“You okay, Kodi?” James asked her out of worry.

“…give me a minute,” she whispered low.

“She’ll be alright. Her mother is the same way,” Harry said to his son.

James nodded and the other kids copied Kodi and Shane.

“You three ready for your transfiguration after lunch?” Harry asked when the class was dismissed.

“What?” They all said in confusion.

“Please tell me you three didn’t forget?” Ron complained to them.

“Oh no! My books!” Kodi said in horror.

“Don’t worry. We got them here. Just go to Transfiguration okay? And remember that you do have it after lunch and not Potions,” Harry said, handing the books over.

“Thank you Uncle Harry,” Kodi said, hugging him quickly and then darting off.

“Now who does that remind you of?” Ron teased Harry, smiling.

“Don’t tell Hermione that,” Harry chuckled as the kids ran to their class.

Transfiguration was interesting to Kodi. Professor McGonagall was nice, but very strict. She demanded respect out of everyone and she in return got it.

The cool thing that Kodi liked, just like all of the students, was when Professor McGonagall transformed from a black and gray tabby cat into her normal human form.

The homework, every kid could do without, was stacked a mile high.

“Miss Malfoy,” Professor McGonagall said after the class was over with.

Kodi stopped and walked over to her Headmistress and replied “Yes, Professor?”

“I thought you would like to know that with your mother’s blessing, you can see what your father was like, when he was here. Mind you, it will probably paint him a complete and utter different person from what you have been told,” Professor McGonagall said softly.

“How am I going to see the memories, Professor?” Kodi asked, unsure if she wanted to see how he was back when he was kid.

“I have a pensieve up in my office. Whenever you want to see the memories, you can ask any of the professors. Mind you, that these memories are probably not the best of your father, but he was heavily influenced by his own father and their way of living,” Professor McGonagall warned her.

Kodi nodded and said “The Pureblood way,”

“Yes,” Professor McGonagall said “Now, off you go,”

Kodi left to head to the dungeons. The 2 hour class of transfiguration was something that she was curious about. Hopefully writing to her mother would put some questions to rest.

When Kodi got there, everyone was still hanging outside of the door to Potions.

“There you are!” Shane said with relief.

“Sorry, Professor McGonagall wanted to speak to me in private,” Kodi replied, getting her potions book out of her book bag.

It was off to the corner that Kodi saw them. 

The Zabini twins. They didn’t look all too happy. The boy looked like he was about to cry, while the girl was highly livid. Kodi didn’t know what was said but, she knew it wasn’t pretty.

The door magically swung open as everyone walked inside, Kodi remained put since she saw no one there.

Professor Carl walked slowly up to the door with a nod to her.

“Get inside,” he said as she did just that.

She found a seat next to James and Shane as cauldrons bubbled and blopped.

“Gryffindor and Slytherin. May I ask, why did all of you walk into my classroom when you didn’t see me? 5 points taken from Slytherin and Gryffindor,” Professor Carl said to them.

They soon got to brew a potion that was fairly easy. Professor Carl wasn’t harsh or mean to them either, just demanded respect like Professor McGonagall.

“Professor?” Kodi asked, looking at him curiously.

“Yes, Miss Malfoy?” he replied back.

“Why are we making a Healing Potion?” she asked him curiously.

“At times Hogwarts is asked for things that are from the ministry,” was his only answer to her and walked away.

Kodi nodded and kept quiet for the remainder of the class.

When class was over, Kodi and her friends walked to the Great Hall to get something to eat.

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Shane said to her.

“No. But it’s interesting because of what we will learn this year. I also thought that maybe we could do a study session when it comes to our exams?” she replied back, looking at either of them nervously.

“Yeah, that would be most helpful,” James said as he got some chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and only one spoonful of peas as he quickly ate those first.

He swallowed it all as he made a face at that.

Shane snickered “They’re not that bad, mate,”

“Speak for yourself,” James grunted out.

Kodi smiled at them both as she had roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy and mixed veggies of corn, peas and carrots.

“Do you guys think that I can make the team?” Shane whispered low to either of them.

“I don’t think you will break my dad’s record of being the youngest wizard, so maybe next year,” James said as he bit into his roll.

Shane sighed as Kodi then said “Besides Uncle Harry being on the Quidditch team for such a young age, the other wizard is Albus Dumbledore. And you know the stories of him and Uncle Harry,”

Shane looked at her with a pale face but nodded.

Dinner went well and the students and staff mingled with one another. Kodi walked back to her dorm with some rolls for later. She always got hungry after dinner.

She got to work on her homework and letter to her mother. She only hoped that her mother was doing alright and that Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron weren’t in too much trouble.

After a few hours of getting all of her homework finished, she went to bed. 

What she nor anyone else saw was a person flying closer to the castle. The wards protected the castle and so forced the person to stay put.

“You are not running from me,” the person snarled low.

Turning the broom away, the person flew off again into the night.


	4. Oddly Quidditch.

**_ Chapter 4: Oddly Quidditch. _ **

 

Two weeks and already Kodi was tired.

 

There was nothing that either her or James could do for Shane. He didn’t make the Quidditch team this year. No matter how much he talked and talked and talked to the Captain, he wasn’t on the team.

 

Kodi felt bad for him and wrote to her mum on it.

 

Thankfully Hermione knew what to do and told Ron of what happened and Ron came to Hogwarts as well as Hermione.

 

“This brings back memories,” Ron said smiling.

 

They were up in one of the stands for the Quidditch game.

 

Hermione stayed quiet. She had seen Kodi with James and Shane in their section for Gryffindor, but Hermione did not see the field in the present.

 

Ron was rambling with that of Hagrid excitedly.

 

 

 

* * *

 

_“Granger?” she heard from behind her when she darted across the grounds, hiding her time-turner._

_She whirled around and stared up at Draco Malfoy._

_“What do you want?” she softly asked him, all of her hate was gone for him._

_“I could ask what you are doing here, but that would be nosing where I don’t want it,” He retorted back, his eyes looking her up and down._

_“I need to get to my class, Malfoy. Though I never did tell you thank you for what you did last year,” she softly said, walking a little closer to him._

_Draco was just finishing up Quidditch practice on his year old broom from last year. Flint was really putting him through the paces of a seeker and so far none of it was fun._

_“A ‘thank you’? For what?” he sneered at her._

_“For saving the students here at Hogwarts. When the Basilisk was set upon us. And also helping me figure it out to help Harry,” she explained, hoping that what happened last year wasn’t just a fluke._

_Draco walked closer to her; he had an angry sneer and whispered harshly “Keep your voice down, Granger. I didn’t just hand that to you so that you could get frozen like that of a bloody statue in the end,”_

_“But why give it to me?” she hissed back._

_“Because, I didn’t want to see you like the others. However you didn’t take my advice seriously and got frozen,” he snarled low._

_Hermione heavily sighed and whispered softly “I will take it from now on. Just why protect me?”_

_“Because, I know that you and the other two oafs of a friends can help undo what our parents couldn’t and have carried on. And one day, will change the world for the greater good,” he whispered back, his face was soft and poker like._

_Hermione stared up into his eyes and saw a lot within them. Knowledge, secrets, little rays of wisdom, displeasure and something else._

* * *

 

 

 

 

“ _Hermione!_ ” Ron hissed at her, shaking her shoulder hard.

 

“Ah, what Ron!” she snapped back, glaring at him.

 

“Game is about to start,” he mumbled low.

 

“Who cares!” she retorted back, walking away from him in their box.

 

The professors that were within their box just shook their heads. They knew that having Hermione here would bring back memories of the past.

 

Knowing that Ron had messed up, he walked over to her and said low “Look, I know that _something_ had happened when _we_ were here at Hogwarts. I am sorry, for shaking you out of your memories, but I would hate to see you get hurt from a quaffle or bluger,”

 

“He gave me the page of when we were in our second year here at Hogwarts. The page to know what a _Basilisk_ is and what to look out for,” Hermione whispered low, staring off into the Forbidden Forest.

 

Ron was utterly shocked by this.

 

“The same page that I put Pipes on,” she hindered more to him.

 

“That is how you two fell in love? How it all started,” Ron said, putting it together now.

 

“Yes. After that, he always wanted me safe. If you remember correctly of Quidditch world cup? After the game, he told us to not be there, mostly me,” she said, looking up at Ron.

 

Heavily sighing with “Bloody hell. And here we always thought it was a love potion that he forced you to take,”

 

“No. D…he never forced me into anything. If I didn’t want to do something, he always found a way around it,” she couldn’t say Draco’s name.

 

Ron nodded and then softly asked “Will you ever tell me how you two officially started?”

 

“Officially?” she asked, looking at him suddenly.

 

“Yeah. Like did he ask you or did you two just agree silently that you two …uh…are a couple?” Ron very wisely thought his words out.

 

“It was during our 5th year that he asked me officially. When we split up after ….his manor, he port keyed me to a safe house. Only he knew where it was and he took care of me. In fact the safe house isn’t that far from Hogwarts,” Hermione explained more, looking once more at the Forbidden Forest.

 

Ron nodded “That is why you two got to the forest so quickly,”

 

“Yeah. But also I didn’t know that I was pregnant with his daughter at the time either,” Hermione whispered low, looking down at her feet.

 

“Hey, did you heard about Harry’s cousin?” Ron asked her, changing the subject.

 

“No? What happened?” she replied, curious on what happened.

 

“Yeah, Harry’s cousin, Dudley had twins and both of them; boy and girl, are a wizard and witch,” Ron said back to her.

 

“I bet Harry was stunned to have gotten that letter,” Hermione said, shocked by it.

 

“No, his cousin showed up on his doorstep. His cousin almost had Harry take them in, but Harry and his cousin talked it out. Harry is going to show his cousin Dudley the magical world and hopefully in 11 years, attend Hogwarts,” Ron explained further.

 

“Ooh,” was all Hermione said, making a mental note to owl Harry as soon as this Quidditch game was over.

 

 Hermione and Ron weren’t the only ones who were watching this game.

 

Somewhere, in one of the tallest trees within the Forbidden Forest a cloaked figure stood on one of the branches. He sneered at the kids and parents.

 

_‘If only they knew,’_ he bitterly snarled in his head.

 

The ginger haired man and the light brown haired woman, he knew of. How could anyone not know who Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were?

 

“KODI LUSINE MALFOY!” he heard Hermione screamed frantically at the bright bleached blonde hair girl who was leaning far over the railing.

 

“Malfoy?” the cloaked man muttered in confusion.

 

He could hear the little girl sniffling out “But mum!”

 

“NO EXCUSES! You are all that I have after your father died!” Hermione shrieked back at her only daughter.

 

This stunned the cloaked man and then the game soon was under way.

 

Kodi sat by her mother and felt extremely sad on trying to get the rest of the Gryffindor banner up. However, with just one flick of her wand, Headmistress McGonagall fixed it.

 

“Do not worry, Kodi,” the headmistress whispered to her.

 

“She did a lot more than that,” she mumbled back.

 

“Oh trust me I know. However, you are her only daughter and the last of what is of Draco Malfoy,” the headmistress soothingly said “Not everyone knows this of myself and I highly wish that it remained between us,”

 

Kodi looked up at the older witch before her “Yes, Professor,”

 

“I never had any children. However, there have been several throughout my teaching career. Your godfather, Harry Potter, was one of them. And when he was sent to the Hospital Wing or was in the bloody Triwizard Terminate, I always feared that he would die. I see him every now and again but, while he was here, I tried to keep my emotions of …a mother, at bay. All of the students here, I care to see as my own but not truly,” The Headmistress confided in with Kodi.

 

“You did?” Kodi asked her.

 

“Indeed. Though, with your mother, it is highly different,” The old Gryffindor Professor said with a soft smile.

 

“Okay. But sooner or later, she will have to let me go,” Kodi then told her.

 

Another expression flickered across the Headmistress and said “Yes, she will, but that is your father coming out,”

 

Kodi sat very still and then slowly nodded.

 

“And that there, is what reminds your mother so much of how much was lost,” Headmistress McGonagall told her.

 

Kodi stayed silent. Pondering over what was revealed to her. Granted she could ask for more, but she didn’t know how much she could take of all the information of her father, being told to her, at once.

 

Hermione however was once again was looking out at the Quidditch pitch as it was Gryffindor against Slytherin. So far, Gryffindor was winning by 175 points. It reminded Hermione of when Ginny took over the team and scored high before the snitch was caught, adding 150 points to that big of a toll.

 

 

 

* * *

_“I won’t hurt you,” Malfoy’s voice drawled softly at her third year self._

_“I don’t trust brooms,” she firmly said uncomfortably._

_Draco smirked as he walked over to her, sizing her up and down quickly before standing right in front of her._

_“I don’t think the dementors will get you, Granger,” he whispered low to her._

_“It’s not the dementors that I’m scared of,” she bravely whispered, looking up at him._

_“Then what is it?” He whispered too._

_“I hate heights,” she mumbled unsure of how he’s getting these answers from her._

_Draco nodded and then whispered “It’s not that scary, if you know what to look at. Come on, I’ll show you,”_

_Hermione looked around, it was growing darker by the minute._

_“I promise you that I won’t let you fall,” Draco swore to her softly._

_“Just no sudden dives,” she told him._

_Draco smiled fully at this and mounted his broom stating “No one will see us, unless you have to go somewhere,”_

_“No. Just ….wrong time,” she hinted to something else._

_It confused Draco greatly but he didn’t question it that much. Hermione walked over and blushed because it seemed so stupid to get embarrassed over. It was just a teenage boy and his broom._

_“Swing your leg over and I’ll secure you with wrapping my arm around your waist,” Draco softly encouraged her._

_She looked at him and softly asked “You’re sure you’ll be ok with it?”_

_Draco stared back and mumbled “Just get on, Granger,”_

_Hermione rolled her eyes and swung onto the broom. The arm that snaked around her waist jolted her back into Draco’s solid body._

_“Easy, Granger. It’s a broom, not a snake,” Draco stated to her and very gently lifted them up off of the ground._

_Hermione gasped and clung onto Draco’s arm._

_“We’re not that high, look. Just a few feet off,” he whispered into her left ear._

_Which was true, they were only a few feet off of the ground. So if Hermione wanted to, she could just hop off of the broom and land safely on the ground._

_“Okay…” Hermione said, fear gripping her soul once more._

_“Look over to the forest, Granger. The grounds….the towers….the hills or something. The fear is controlling you,” Draco said, pointing each one._

_Hermione closed her eyes and heavily sighed. Summoning up her Gryffindor courage, she opened her eyes and stared at the Quidditch pitch._

_Draco risked them going a bit higher. They were now just above the walls._

_Hermione looked around even though that the few stars that were twinkling far away in the inky black sky, they danced with joy._

_“See, it’s not that bad, when you go slowly,” Draco teased her, smirking._

_“You never did answer my question. Are you alright being here with me?” she asked him again._

_Draco was silent. He didn’t know why he was changing his tone or that he was being so kind to her. Just that every single time he sees her smiling, his stomach flips with butterflies._

_“Father wants to kill that creature that hurt me. But I know it was my fault,” Draco muttered back._

_For someone who is in Slytherin, he sure was being stubborn._

_Hermione gasped at this._

_“What? Because you called him a great ugly brute?” she shrieked at Draco._

_“Yeah,” he muttered, his mind was confused on a lot of things._

_Hermione was silent and just enjoyed what Draco was giving her._

* * *

 

 

 

The game was close to 920 points with Gryffindor winning as Hermione came out of her memory.

 

Kodi was screaming next to Ron cheering their house on. It brought a smile to Hermione’s face.

 

In the trees of the Forbidden Forest, the cloaked figure was no longer there. Instead, he was walking close to where the trees ended and open land began. He also crept towards Hagrid’s hut.

 

He waved his wand and opened the door.

 

His eyes darted around looking for that new dog of Hagrid’s. It wasn’t here. He took what could without it being missing by the half giant.

 

The cloaked wizard eyed the fireplace but doubted that it was hooked up to the floo network.

 

Eating what he could, he snuck out the backdoor and crept along the side of the trees of the steep hill to the owlry.

 

He looked at the Quidditch Pitch once more, staying still.

 

It wasn’t until Kodi’s owl glided down and landed on his shoulder. Snapping his head towards the animal, the wizard smirked.

 

“Guide me to the headmistress’s office without being seen,” he muttered to it.

 

The owl, granted it was only an animal, cocked its head to the side and then took flight.

 

Running with his hood up, a lot of paintings saw this mysterious figure go through Hogwarts. And a lot of paintings were racing to get the Headmistress’s attention.

 

The cloaked figure had gotten past the griffin gargoyle and closed the door to the office.

 

The past headmasters and headmistresses were chatting loudly and then were silent.

 

BANG!

 

The wooden door to the office flung open, as Harry Potter held his wand out in front of him.

 

The Cloaked figure; his hand losing his grip on the Floo powder, smirked and then bright green flames flared out around him.

 

As the person disappeared before Harry’s eyes, everyone was completely silent.

 

“Well I do say, that this is an interesting devolvement,” Professor Dumbledore said in his painting.

 

“OH hush, Dumbledore!” an older past Headmaster sneered at him.

 

“Just where did he go?” Harry asked any of them.

 

The past headmasters and headmistresses shrugged.

 

“We do not know, Mr. Potter,” The same old past Headmaster said back to him.

 

No one saw that Dumbledore’s painting was now blank.


	5. A Ghostly Visit.

**_ Chapter 5: A Ghostly Visit. _ **

 

 “Not here? What in the world does that mean?” Harry exploded on the past headmaster.

 

“Harry,” Professor Dumbledore stated calmly.

 

Like old times, Harry swallowed what he was going to say and looked up at Professor Dumbledore with respect.

 

“The person, who came in here, is no longer in Hogwarts. However, I would consult with that of Miss Granger on where this person went next,” Professor Dumbledore spoke in riddles.

 

“Hermione?” Ron said confused but Professor Dumbledore was already gone from his portrait.

 

“I already checked, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley…” Professor McGonagall spoke up “She is not here. I think she went home long before the last score was up,”

 

Harry glanced at Ron and said “Excuse us, professor,”

 

Both Harry and Ron were already using the fireplace to get to Malfoy Manor.

 

 

* * *

 

_45 minutes earlier_

 

Hermione had already said goodbye to her daughter again, as she just couldn’t take what had happened long ago. So many old memories lingered there.

 

For Ginny to suggest something like that…well it’s easier said than done.

 

Hermione walked through the joining hallway into the pallor room which led into the library across the hallway.

 

Suddenly stopping, a gasp escaped from her.

 

“D-Draco?” she uttered softly.

 

There standing before her was what looked to be Draco Malfoy. He was gazing around the library until he looked at Hermione.

 

“Mie,” he whispered longingly.

 

“You can’t….you aren’t….” she stammered, not wanting to believe what was in front of her.

 

“I miss you, beautiful,” he said to her.

 

Hermione blushed.

 

“And I you…” she still couldn’t stay his full name.

 

Draco walked over to her but then stopped. It pained him so much to see her like this.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked, fighting against everything.

 

“I …” Draco began but stopped.

 

There were many pictures of the little girl that he first spotted.

 

“Who’s the little girl?” he asked her in return to stall for time.

 

“Kodi? She’s …our daughter,” Hermione said confusedly, looking up at him.

 

Draco hadn’t aged all that much. Granted he does have some wrinkles around his face but, he still looked young. He sported a beard, had some dark circles under his eyes but still looked the same.

 

“Our…daughter?” Draco forced out, trying to piece together on when this happened.

 

“Yes. Remember how you got me out of here and to the safe house near Hogwarts? After Lord-”

 

“SHH! They still use his name as a way to get to you!” Draco cut in, glaring at her.

 

Hermione was silent and nodded at him.

 

“Ah, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy,” Professor Dumbledore’s voice cut in then.

 

Both former students to the former headmaster turned around to him.

 

Hermione had granted Professor Dumbledore to come and go from a blank canvas from Hogwarts to her home. She thought it would ease Kodi into knowing that she was a witch and that she could easily talk away to Professor Dumbledore when Hermione was cooking dinner or something.

 

“Professor?” Hermione began “Is ….he-?”

 

“I wouldn’t ask such questions right now, Hermione. Draco, did the mission go accordingly?” Professor Dumbledore interrupted her.

 

“Yes, sir. Now where? I don’t remember the manor looking like this?” Draco replied at once.

 

“That is because Hermione tore it down and rebuild it as you see it now. Please do not be too upset with her. After all, _Kodi is the Last living Malfoy that we all know of_ ,” Professor Dumbledore said to him, with a stare over his half moon glasses.

 

Draco swallowed and said “My daughter,”

 

“Yes….” Hermione said nervously back, biting her lower lip.

 

Draco looked at her and softly said “I’m not upset that we created our first child. I am just sorry for not being here, to witness it. And I’m not upset that you tore that hellhole of a manor down. I …I quite like this one better,”

 

“T-Thank you. I had Hogwarts in mind in some parts of it,” she replied blushing a bit.

 

Draco nodded.

 

_Present time_

* * *

 

 

 

 

Hermione looked up at Draco but, he was suddenly gone.

 

“Draco?” she asked him, looking around.

 

Hermione felt her legs locked together as her need then out grew it. She frantically searched the home. He wasn’t there.

 

It was only when she was outside did the fireplace roar to life that made her stop and run back inside, but it was already too late.

 

Instead of Draco, Harry was there out of breath.

 

“Hermione!” he exclaimed in fear, hurrying over to her and hugging her.

 

“Harry!” she replied in shock, though she tried to look where Draco had gone.

 

“The cloaked figure. Where is he? Was he even here? Are you alright?” Harry fired off question after question to her.

 

“Draco was here, Harry,” she softly said, though she didn’t quite understand how he got away.

 

“What?” Harry asked her, confused as he pulled back from the hug.

 

“Draco….he was here, Harry,” Hermione repeated to him.

 

“But…Hermione, Draco is not alive. He hasn’t for nearly 12 years now,” Harry slowly told her; unsure of what was going on now.

 

“He _was_ here! So was Professor Dumbledore! They both _were_ here!” Hermione protested.

 

“Hermione…I just came from Hogwarts….he was in the portrait just as I was leaving to here,” Harry slowly explained to his distraught friend.

 

“Then…how ….why?” Hermione asked, but her mind couldn’t come up with an answer.

 

Heavily sighing Harry walked over and put his arm around her shoulders stating “I understand that today was an emotional day. The last time that you were at the Quidditch pitch was when Draco was alive. On a broom with him,”

 

“Harry, it wasn’t from my memories!” Hermione scolded him, walking away from him.

 

She walked into the kitchen to make some tea.

 

Harry walked after her slowly; he looked around her home with his eyes but found nothing out of sort.

 

Mean while, miles and miles and miles away from Malfoy Manor, in the castle of Hogwarts and within the Gryffindor common room, there was a massive party going on.

 

“I can’t believe that we won with that many points!” one Gryffindor said happily.

 

“We are for sure, going to win the house cup!” another one replied back, smiling.

 

Over in the spiral stairwell, sat the daughter of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy.

 

“What did you think of that catch, Kodi?” Shane asked her curiously, handing her a hot steamy mug.

 

“It’s…an interesting catch. I mean….it would have given Uncle Harry a run for his money….” She replied back, gently taking the mug.

 

“It’s hot tea with honey. It’s the only thing that the professors gave to us,” Shane replied with a shrug.

 

She nodded, taking a careful sip of it.

 

“It’s very hard to do that, I mean….even Uncle Harry stood on his broom for less than a minute or so,” Shane replied back.

 

What had happened was, the seeker to win Gryffindor this Quidditch game, was that the snitch had dived down to the ground and the seekers followed suit. The Gryffindor Seeker pulled up and balanced herself almost right away; like she had done this move many times. The beaters from Slytherin tried to make the Gryffindor Seeker fall off of her broom, but something very strange happened: Her broom moved with that of her feet up in an arch over the Slytherin beaters.

 

Kodi and many muggleborn witches and wizards only knew that move from skateboarders, surfers, snowboarder’s type tricks. After she put her broom down, she had started to go off balance but reached out and caught the snitch in hand.

 

The crowd, after few minutes of silence, went utterly wild.

 

“It’s too bad that your mum couldn’t be here for that last move,” James said, walking up to them.

 

“She said that your father did the same thing as Brianna,” Kodi said to him, smiling.

 

“Really?” James said in awe.

 

“Yeah. My mother was there to see it,” Kodi replied, sipping her cup of tea.

 

“Well, for one, I’m just glad that we had a match today, won that match and have the whole weekend ahead of us,” Shane said, smiling.

 

“Don’t forget, we have those potions, transfiguration and the defense against the dark arts, History of Magic essays to do,” Kodi reminded them both.

 

“Uhg! _Come on_ Kodi!” Shane protested.

 

“Tomorrow morning, we’ll go to the library and you can help us figure out what to say within our essays,” James commented back.

 

“After breakfast or else,” Kodi said to them and walked to the first year girl dormitories.

 

“She is scary,” Shane said to James.

 

“How is that?” he replied curiously.

 

“Because she sounded like Aunt Hermione,” Shane said back.

 

“And at times, you and/or I sound like our parents. Anyway, it’s normal,” James said, shrugging and they both headed to their beds too.

 

No one saw, out in the darkening nasty clouding night sky, a hooded figure quickly darting into the Forbidden Forest.


	6. Detention Month

**_ Chapter 6: Detention Month. _ **

 

From the second week or September, until now, it was none stop raining. One would think that the earth couldn’t soak anymore of the rain up, but somehow it did.

 

A lot of puddles and soaked through cloaks and shirts had a lot of students in the Hospital wing with the chest flu. Luckily Kodi and her friends were the ones who didn’t get it.

 

It was well into October. Everyone was getting excited for Halloween. Sure, Christmas was just around the corner, but Halloween was something else.

 

Instead of the normal feast; which it will be at the end of the night, the professors thought to take the muggle way of celebrating Halloween.

 

The younger first through third years are suppose to do trick or treating throughout the castle with the ghosts, Professors and Headmistress.

 

The fourth through seventh years had it more easily.

 

They could attend to a mask Halloween ball.

 

Everyone was talking about it when the prefects learned this from the Head boy and Head girl. Kodi didn’t know if she wanted to go this mask ball.

 

She had already learned of trick or treating when she was much younger. She also didn’t miss the fact that James and Shane were complaining to her of not being able to attend to the ball.

 

Kodi had to get this essay done. It was for potions. About a three scroll essay and it was due on Monday morning.

 

Several times, Kodi owled to her mother on what to do, but Hermione simply told her “Look in the Library”.

 

With a huff, Kodi made her way to the Library. She scanned the shelves but wasn’t really looking at anything.

 

“I can’t believe him!” a student down from Kodi hissed.

 

“What happened now?” a girl student asked her friend.

 

The first student, another girl, snarled low “Professor Carl gave me detention for no apparent reason!”

 

“What actually happened?” the second girl asked her, curious now.

 

“I ran from the door to his potions class. That is it!”

 

“What? That ….is weird,”

 

“You’re telling me! When I told him that I was just running, he went off! Telling me, who I was with, why I was running in the first place AND that I lost about 65 points!”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m taking this up to the Headmistress. This isn’t right,”

 

“I’ll say! Come on, let’s go now,” the second girl said, gathering their stuff up.

 

Kodi pulled a book out at random and pretended to read the words as the two girls walked on by.

 

_‘That was strange,’_ Kodi thought to herself as she wondered next on why Professor Carl was being so mean for no reason?

 

Instead of getting her homework done, a part of Kodi was curious as to what Professor Carl was doing? Sure he did help Kodi learn some spells to defend herself and it seems that she’s a “teacher’s pet”, but that was as far from the truth as it could get.

 

She gathered her stuff up, along with putting the book in her book-bag and walked out of the library.

 

Now, Kodi couldn’t just go up to a professor and ask where Professor Carl was at. She was already getting teased because of being a “teacher’s pet”. Plus it would give her another label that she knew would forever stick with her.

 

Heavily sighing, she made her way down to the dungeons. Slytherins were everywhere down here. She remembered her Uncle Ron stating that “you going into the snake pit come out with your wits about you….that’s if you got out a live”.

 

“What are you doing down here, Malfoy?” a prefect boy sneered at her.

 

It was shocking that the older students; though not a whole lot but some, still sneered at her.

 

“I need to ask a question from Professor Carl,” she huffed back.

 

“He’s not here, go back to your lions,” the prefect boy snarled at her and bumped into her shoulder as he walked away.

 

Kodi sighed and walked to the potions wooden door. She knocked on it but, no one came to her.

 

She knocked once more but, the door opened.

 

Looking around, she found that the hallway was suddenly empty. This wasn’t going to end well if she got caught.

 

Sure, she has been in this classroom before, but without the other students taking their places around the cauldrons, it looked much bigger and emptier. There was always a side to Kodi that she just liked about Potions. Her mother would always say that’s the part of her father rearing up.

 

Walking slowly through the jarred parts of animals, Kodi looked in awe. Sure she felt horrible for the animal but, to create a potion from it was impressive.

 

“Professor Carl,” she heard from the hallway.

 

Panicked, Kodi looked over to the door where the books were and hurried over. Closing the door and crouching down.

 

“I am not in the mood for small talk!” she heard Professor Carl snarl at a student and then walked into the classroom.

 

Thinking that he was alone, he casted several spells and Kodi got to hear it all.

 

“Where could it possibly be?” Professor Carl spoke to himself.

 

_‘Where could_ what _be?’_ Kodi asked to herself silently.

 

“I’ve searched where he entered the forest….is that boy stupid enough to just throw it away? He couldn’t have. Accio isn’t working….” Professor Carl rambled on, pacing.

 

_‘Accio? He? Boy?_ What _is he going on about?’_ Kodi asked herself as she listened more.

 

Kodi then suddenly got a very feeling from Professor Carl. What if he found her here? Would he go over the top with his unpredictable anger?

 

She closed her eyes, hoping that she wasn’t found by him.

 

There was a knock.

 

The poor potions wooden door slammed opened with a very loud bang. Making some of the jars rustle as it made Kodi jump out of pure fright.

 

“Professor Carl,” Headmistress McGonagall said in a tight voice.

 

“Yes, Headmistress. I’m pretty busy right now,” he huffed in annoyance at her.

 

“I have come to talk to you about your uncontrollable irritation and giving the students detention for no reason,” she said to him, not taking his crap at all and walking into the potions class.

 

“I am sorry, Headmistress. I will keep a tighter control on it,” he said at once.

 

“Make sure that you do. Also, have you thought of anything to do with that of Miss Malfoy?” Professor McGonagall asked him next.

 

“That is what I had been thinking about,” he lied to her.

 

Kodi bit her lower lip hard to keep from giving her away.

 

“I don’t know what else to do,” he began “except let it unfold,”

 

Kodi had heard that phrase before, but she couldn’t quite place it.

 

The Headmistress nodded and then said “I don’t think there is much that we can do. If Miss Malfoy does come to you for advice, please don’t be too harsh on her,”

 

“I will try not to, but Headmistress; I don’t want the child attached to me either. I’m not her father, no matter how he died, I’m not Draco Malfoy,” Professor Carl simply stated with a stern expression.

 

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that, Christopher. She is a bright student. She knows that her father can never come back. Many have tried in the past and failed as they joined the dead,” Professor McGonagall replied back.

 

Kodi nodded, even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to be there.

 

“At times she acts like it,” Professor Carl grumbled.

 

“Very well. I do hope that you won’t be giving any other students detention with no reason,” The headmistress said, seeing herself out.

 

When the potions door closed, Kodi listened.

 

It seemed that Professor Carl wasn’t there, but to make sure, Kodi stayed in her hiding spot for a good twenty minutes.

 

She was relieved that no one was there in the Slytherin corridor, except when Peeves floated above behind her.

 

Very suddenly the door to the potion opened with a thunderous bang, the glass jarred animals suddenly exploded and Kodi screamed as she flung herself to where the closet was for safety.

 

Peeves cackled with delight evilly.

 

A lot of footsteps could be heard as Kodi looked up at Peeves.

 

“Now you’re in for it!” he cackled again, disappearing from that place.

 

Kodi wished that she could.

 

Professor Carl, Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch stood in the doorframe of the potions class.

 

“Oh my goodness!” the headmistress exclaimed as she then rushed over to Kodi.

 

“Don’t move Miss Malfoy,” Professor Flitwick told her as he waved his wand and the glass around her face was gone.

 

“Are you alright?” Madam Hooch asked next.

 

“Explain yourself at once!” Professor Carl ranted at her.

 

“I was looking for Professor Carl….I didn’t quite understand a part of the potions project and neither did any of the other classmates so I came here. Peeves was the one that made the mess!” Kodi rushed in her explanation.

 

“I don’t remember you coming down the corridor, Miss Malfoy,” Professor Carl seethed.

 

“I was just trying to find you,” she tried to defend herself.

 

“I am not your father nor will I ever be! 90 points from Gryffindor for lying and has detention for a month!” He snapped at her.

 

Kodi lowered herself to the ground in fear.

 

“Christopher!” Headmistress McGonagall snapped deadly at him.

 

“I do not think that Miss Malfoy did this mess,” Madam Hooch said back to him.

 

“And I do not think that Miss Malfoy is looking to you as her father,” Professor Flitwick chimed in too.

 

Suddenly they all saw the Gryffindor ghost, nearly headless Nick float into the classroom.

 

“Aw! Professor Carl, Headmistress McGonagall, I saw Peeves throwing parts of the knights in one of the corridors singing ‘Kodi is in trouble!’ I located the Bloody barren to get Peeves to stop this hellish mayhem,” Sir Nickolas said to them politely.

 

“Thank you, Sir Nickolas,” Headmistress replied back as he floated out of the classroom.

 

Kodi slowly stood up with some help from Madam Hooch. She wanted to run away, she didn’t like the tension that hung thickly in the air as she stared at the ground.

 

Professor Carl walked over to the door, swung it open with a loud bang and was gone.

 

Kodi jumped and looked terrified.

 

“It’s okay, Kodi,” Headmistress McGonagall softly said to her.

 

“My mother isn’t going to like hearing this, Professor,” she mumbled sadly.

 

“No she will not, however, I do fear for Professor Carl’s life,” Professor Flitwick replied back with a shake of his head.

 

“May I ask,” the Headmistress began “what was the project’s potion that Professor Carl assigned to you students?”

 

“A second year potion,” Kodi said back to them all “Hair-raising potion,”

 

“But…you’re a first year?” Professor Flitwick said in disbelief.

 

“I know, I didn’t ask for the advanced potion….” She replied, looking up at Headmistress McGonagall.

 

The adults looked at one another in confusion.

 

“I can give you the 90 points back to Gryffindor, however the detention is always set in place by the professor,” The Headmistress said carefully to Kodi.

 

“What am I suppose to do, during detention?” she asked her curiously.

 

“Anything that is within reason, Miss Malfoy,” the headmistress replied, heavily sighing.

 

Kodi nodded and then said “Alright…just that this isn’t fair!”

 

“No, it is not,” Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick agreed with her.

 

“However, I cannot undo this detention, Miss Malfoy,” the Headmistress told her next.

 

“Fine,” she said looking at the ground.

 

And so, that is how Kodi Malfoy got detention for a month.

 

She owled her Uncle Harry on what he thought on it all and let’s just say that he was not too thrilled of the entire story being told from his goddaughter. Though in many ways it was ironic.

 

Every student soon found out that Kodi was at the wrong place at the wrong time to go asking for help down in the dungeons. They felt bad for her but also stayed far away from her too.

 

Shane and James didn’t talk to her that much anymore either.

 

She was finished with her homework for that evening and walked down towards where Mr. Filch was waiting for her.

 

For the past month, he would walk her where she needed for her detention. It sucked to do this, even though she quite literally did nothing wrong.

 

“You will be serving your detention with Hagrid tonight,” Mr. Filch nastily sneered at her.

 

Kodi kept up with his brisk walk as they walked down towards Hagrid’s hut. Hagrid, hearing what had happened wasn’t too pleased with Professor Carl, greeted them both when they walked closer to him.

 

“Good evenin’ Kodi,” he said, smiling.

 

“I wouldn’t be too friendly with her,” Mr. Filch said to him.

 

“Oh, please! She’s doing the crime fur that she didn’t even do! Leave the poor girl alone. Back to the castle with ya!” Hagrid angrily said to Mr. Filch.

 

Mr. Filch snorted in dislike and walked away mumbling.

 

“Just ignore him. We all know that you didn’t truly do anythin’ within Professor Carl’s classroom. Plus he shouldn’t have been teachin’ you first years, second year potions to begin with!” Hagrid huffed irritably.

 

“Thank you Hagrid,” Kodi said smiling at him.

 

It was the same thing every time that she had detention with Hagrid.

 

“Tonight, unlike the other night’s that we’ve been doin’, is going to be dangerous,” Hagrid said seriously.

 

Kodi nodded and her smile faded away.

 

“We will be goin’ into the Forbidden Forest. One of my friends, a centaur, told me that something isn’t right. He wouldn’t tell me up front, but somethin’ is wrong,” Hagrid explained to her.

 

“My mum, told me in one of her letters of how it is in the forest,” Kodi said, looking up at him.

 

“Yeah, your mum would know all of about that. Now, I have my crossbow. We will bring Bolt with us. Any questions?” Hagrid asked her.

 

“No, just curious as to what could be going on,” she replied back.

 

“Good. Now, I do not care if ya think you need to save me. I can easily take care of myself. So when I tell ya to run, I mean it Kodi Lusine Malfoy, you better run like the dark lord is after ya,” Hagrid said seriously.

 

She nodded slowly, not liking to follow that rule.

 

“I mean it. I know ya caring, nice, and decent and don’t like leaving anyone behind. When I scream at ya to run, ya better run away. Now, come on. We’re trading dark for daylight,” Hagrid said as they took Bolt with them.

 

Bolt was a giant black Boarhound. Except on his forehead, there was shaped like that of Harry’s scar, a lightning bolt.

 

Fang had passed on. Broke Hagrid’s heart but, before Fang passed away, he had a couple of liters of puppies. Harry had visited one day and pointed out Bolt to Hagrid. Hagrid had kept Bolt since then and was thankful for Fang.

 

Kodi walked behind Hagrid as they walked into the forest. Everything that was light during the day, jumped out during the night.

 

Kodi felt her heart up in her throat. From time to time, she could hear a wolf cry out from the castle.

 

“Hagrid?” she asked, looking down a trail.

 

He turned and walked over to it.

 

There was nothing there to the untrained eye, but when he knelt down and nodded, Kodi knew she did something right as they then walked down the path.

 

Hagrid was looking around, his crossbow at the ready as Kodi kept close to him.

 

There was suddenly an ease to the forest. Almost welcoming with open arms to Kodi and Hagrid with Bolt.

 

Hagrid had stopped as Kodi hid behind him.

 

“Come and out and see,” he softly whispered to her.

 

She peaked around him and there, just grazing in the forest was the ever elusive Unicorns. Kodi had her mouth open in awe and knew that this was the white flashes every now and then that she saw from her window before going to bed.

 

“They are beautiful,” She whispered back to him.

 

“That they sure are, but that isn’t the reason why we’re here,” Hagrid reminded her as the lead stallion of the herd was staring at them.

 

 Kodi smiled at him but walked with Hagrid over to a small stream.

 

“Good Evenin’ Damian,” Hagrid greeted the person.

 

Well person wouldn’t be the best way to describe the centaur, but you get my point.

 

Kodi peaked around Hagrid and gasped.

 

Damian wasn’t just a normal looking centaur. He was albino. And since he was the color of a milky moon white, he had a black horse blanket on his horse body, his horse legs were wrapped in black leggings and a dark cloak wrapped around his human torso and shoulders. The hood was covering his head and face.

 

“Hagrid,” he greeted him back respectfully.

 

“Who is this young one?” Damian asked when he spotted Kodi.

 

“This is Kodi Malfoy. She is new to Hogwarts and is serving her detention with me. Even though I don’t think what that Professor did was right,” Hagrid growled out.

 

Damian walked over to Kodi as she was curious of him in return.

 

“I know that smell. You smell exactly like that one man who keeps appearing and disappearing at whim. You are his offspring,” Damian simply stated as he stood to his full height.

 

“Man?” Hagrid and Kodi asked at once.

 

“Yes, but there has been another. Searching the forest for something powerful. Something that was once used against the past dark lord. Every night, I know where this man is. Keeping an eye on his whereabouts and doings within my home,” Damian replied back.

 

“Damian, have you ever seen what this man looked like?” Hagrid asked, needing to get more information.

 

“So that the headmistress will do nothing in return?” Damian said back.

 

“No. Not this time around,” Hagrid huffed in annoyance.

 

“Always cloaked. Never see his face, but hears him mumbling. Muttering on about _‘where is it? The Boy must have entered here. Must find it!’_ That kind of thing. It’s a bad omen Hagrid. Evil is stirring once again,” Damian warned him.

 

Kodi felt like she knew those words. The idea of whoever it was was just on the tip of her tongue.

 

“I’ll let Professor McGonagall know of this,” Hagrid said with a nod.

 

“I wouldn’t approach this man, Hagrid,” Damian spoke up again “Not with a young one with you. Mostly her. Her life here is just about to begin and it won’t end the way she came into this school,”

 

And with that, Damian cantered away.

 

Kodi felt dread trickle into her heart as Hagrid then took her hand. They both walked in silence and out of the Forbidden Forest.

 

It left Kodi with a lot of questions that need answering but also, what was she getting herself into when those said questions would be answered? She didn’t know what to think of it.

 

Hagrid walked Kodi to the castle and when they were at the staircases, they parted ways.

 

Kodi made it to her bed soon after but from her window, she looked out and down towards the forbidden forest. She could make out something white, standing guard of where Hagrid and she were just at.

 

It was small, bulky but mostly white as it then darted back into the forest with speed.

 

Kodi finally got some sleep after she didn’t know what to make of that creature.


	7. Enter McCarion.

**_ Chapter 7: Enter McCarion. _ **

**__ **

_October 25 th _

 

Hermione heavily sighed as she read the letters from her daughter.

 

“I don’t understand….” She began, looking up at Ginny who was home for a couple of weeks.

 

“That, that professor is not a professor? I’ll agree with that,” Ginny replied back with a sneer.

 

Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron all got letters from their children on what Professor Carl’s problem was. Let alone some back story on him.

 

“James has told me that Professor Carl has been taking away points from all houses,” Ginny then said.

 

“Well I hope that things get smoothed out there. I don’t honestly know what is going on with that man, but, I have heard something that might peak your interest,” Hermione said back, sipping her tea.

 

Ginny looked at her curiously “What?”

 

“You know how the Triwizard Tournament was going on back in our day?” Hermione asked her curiously.

 

“Yes, kind of hard to forget…” Ginny replied, looking off to the right but then looked back up at Hermione.

 

“Well instead of the three dangerous tasks, there is going to be from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons schools: Student exchange. The students, from what Professor McGonagall has told me, will be there from November 22nd until Easter,” Hermione explained to Ginny.

 

“So…that means that the students from each of those schools will be at Hogwarts?” Ginny asked confusedly.

 

“Yes. And they will get to know Hogwarts, how things are done and such within Scotland and Great Britain,” Hermione answered her.

 

“Are there any students going to those schools too?” Ginny asked, thinking this over.

 

“Yes, but only 6th and 7th years,” Hermione explained “So that, the student can get some experience for a job later,”

 

“A job later?” Ginny asked, still trying to figure this all out.

 

“I know, it’s complicated, but over in America, the muggles do this. It’s called Internship. Where the person gets to know the job and understand the workplace better. I’m surprised that the wizarding world is just now discovering it,” Hermione explained it more.

 

“Oh. Well that is a good idea,” Ginny said, not fully understanding this transfer of exchange students.

 

“I think, though I could be wrong, that everyone doesn’t want another dark lord to take over. Just because it happened mostly here, doesn’t mean the ripples didn’t have an effect on other countries too,” Hermione expressed sadly.

 

Ginny nodded, as the news of Viktor Krum’s death was the major headlines after Harry and Draco defeated Lord Voldemort. It looked like he was tortured to death.

 

“So the other wizarding countries got together to copy what the Americans have thought of and are doing?” Ginny asked, bringing the topic to much nicer areas of their discussion.

 

“Yes. That is why I am informing you to expect some letters from James and them about it,” Hermione smiled at her.

 

Ginny nodded and said “Thanks for letting me know and informing me before hand. Though, it’s not why I asked you here,”

 

Hermione looked at her with a blank face.

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

_November 22 nd_

 

Within the walls of Hogwarts great hall, Kodi and the other students were staring at Headmistress McGonagall who was standing at the podium.

 

“I know that many of you do not know of what the Triwizard tournament is, but since some of the tasks are out dated, the others are not. From Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, Scilla and Ibai we have 24 students joining Hogwarts,” The headmistress explained.

 

The students were listening to her every word.

 

“There will be a sorting shortly after I introduce you to them all,” Headmistress McGonagall continued. “Now I want you to welcome them into the school and life that we have here. From Durmstrang,”

 

5 boys walked forward. All from the age of 11 to 18.

 

Kodi thought it was weird that it was an all boy’s school.

 

Professor McGonagall had the stool out and all of the boys were suddenly nervous.

 

“Now, here at Hogwarts, we sort our students into each house that you see here: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. The Sorting Hat will be placed onto your heads and it will determine where you will go,” Professor McGonagall quickly told the nervous boys.

 

That seemed to ease them for the time being.

 

“Igor Fly?” She called loudly.

 

It was the oldest boy there. He walked slowly up to the stool and sat down. The sorting hat was placed onto his head as everyone watched him.

 

“Hufflepuff!” The sorting hat shouted loudly.

 

The Hufflepuffs cheered and clapped as a Prefect walked up to him, smiling.

 

After getting the first student out of the way, the other boys were much calmer than before.

 

“Tyler Gold,” Professor McGonagall called out.

 

He walked up to the stool and sat down. With this boy it took a lot of time before the hat called out “Ravenclaw!”

 

The Ravenclaw table clapped and welcomed him into their house.

 

“Alex Woods,” was the next one.

 

The Hat didn’t even have to touch his hair before it called out “Slytherin!”

 

Kodi looked at it confused but the Slytherin table cheered and welcome him into their house.

 

“David Gleam,” Professor McGonagall called out for him.

 

He sat down and the hat was placed onto his head.

 

“Gryffindor!” The hat shouted as Kodi clapped and smiled.

 

“Rikard McCarion,” Professor McGonagall called for the last boy.

 

The hat was placed once more on top of the boy’s head. Kodi looked at him curiously.

 

He had strong features, blonde hair and corn blue eyes.

 

“Gryffindor!” The hat shouted as her table cheered again.

 

Professor McGonagall gestured with her hand to the Gryffindor table smiling down at the 11 year old.

 

“Now, the girls from Beauxbatons,” She said loudly as the girls were just like the boys.

 

5 girls ranging from 11 to 18 years old and were in the blank Hogwarts black robes.

 

Kodi looked at them in awe. They had this certain beauty that couldn’t be dismissed.

 

_‘I wish my hair shinnied like theirs.’_ She thought sadly.

 

“Alice Chantal,” Professor McGonagall said next.

 

The 5 girls; Alice, Claire, Elaina, Gigi and Noelle, were sorted into Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and twice in Slytherin.

 

The students from Scilla went into all of Ravenclaw and the students from Ibai went into Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor.

 

 

Rikard was sitting across from Kodi as Alice was answering questions to her best ability from the sudden group of boys.

 

“Hello,” Kodi greeted him with a friendly smile.

 

“Kello,” he said with a little harsh accent.

 

“I’m Kodi,” she continued.

 

“Rikard, Ko-I,” Rikard replied smiling at the end.

 

“Kodi,” She repeated, smiling back.

 

“Kod-y?” he tried again, confused.

 

“Kodi,” she repeated a bit slower.

 

“Kodi,” he tried again.

 

“Yes! You got it,” she exclaimed in excitement.

 

Rikard smiled with joy.

 

It was James and Shane who were glowering and glaring at Kodi and Rikard.

 

“What’s, it like? To live, here?” Rikard asked Kodi curiously.

 

Kodi didn’t mind the broken parts of his sentences. She knew it must be hard to speak English. So she didn’t judge him for it.

 

“It’s alright. I’m only in my first year here, at Hogwarts,” she replied back to him.

 

Rikard nodded, but Kodi noticed that he wasn’t eating anything.

 

“You’re not hungry?” she asked him curiously, pointing to his empty plate.

 

“Yes,” he replied unsure.

 

Kodi smiled at him and said “What do you like to eat?”

 

“Musaka, shopska salata, Kebapche and banitsa,” Rikard said and suddenly it appeared in front of him.

 

Kodi smiled at the shocked expression on his face.

 

“We have house elves under the floor, that is where the main kitchens are at,” Kodi told him as he quickly started to eat his dinner.

 

Rikard nodded but wasn’t talking that much as he ate his dinner.

 

Kodi bit her lower lip and then said “May I have shopska salata please?”

 

This got Rikard’s attention as he looked up at her.

 

She looked at the salad before her. It was a combo of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers. It was sprinkled with a sirene cheese and parsley.

 

Kodi gently took a bite of it and then smiled chewing her bite.

 

“Do, you like it, Kodi?” Rikard asked her curiously.

 

“I do. It’s really good,” she replied after swallowing it.

 

Rikard smiled and went back to eating.

 

The two students didn’t realize that by what they just did; set the example for the other houses to do. The Professors at the head table were beaming at Kodi and Rikard.

 

Pretty soon all of the students were getting comfortable and an easy hum flowed from it.

 

 

 

* * *

October 25th

 

“What is it Ginny?” Hermione asked her curiously.

 

“I …I honestly don’t know how to put this into words,” she replied, looking down at the table, thinking.

 

Hermione arched an eyebrow up at this.

 

“Alright, I’m just going to say it and please don’t judge me on it,” Ginny said, looking directly up at her friend.

 

Hermione waited some more.

 

“I thought I saw Draco Malfoy near your back gardens and green house,” Ginny told her, feeling foolish.

 

Hermione remained silent for a while.

 

“You’re not the only one who has seen him or thought it,” Hermione softly said, stirring her cup of tea.

 

“What? You have seen him too?” Ginny asked in shock.

 

“Yes. But it has to be from my mind. You know how it can play tricks on you if you’re really depressed and such,” Hermione replied back, gently putting the spoon on her napkin.

 

“What did he look like? I mean, Hermione….we all know that Draco is …dead,” Ginny said, afraid to put her friend in tears again.

 

“He looked older somehow. His face looked …more grown up, if I can say that,” she muttered the last part.

 

“No, no. It’s okay. It looked like how our faces are and not when we were 17 or so year’s old, right?” Ginny said, putting her hand on top of Hermione’s.

 

“Yes. But He was inside of my home. Just there in the hallway,” Hermione pointed to the hallway to the library.

 

“This is so odd,” Ginny mumbled almost to herself.

 

“Why do you bring this up?” Hermione asked.

 

“Because, something is going on. Something that Harry and Ron have been noticing. The Ministry of Magic only holds rules here in England and Scotland. Other countries….there have been kidnappings, unexplained murders, robberies of highly tighten banks like Gringotts, parents not sending their students to wizarding schools, families suddenly gone from the record books,” Ginny answered in worry.

 

An ice cold chill ran down Hermione’s back.

 

“It sound like when Lor-”

 

“No!” they heard a voice and they both spun around, wands out.

 

There standing was none other than a wizard.

 

“Who are you?” Ginny snarled at him.

 

“One of the many Auror’s that is keeping an eye on you both,” he said with ease.

 

“Why can’t we say-?”

 

“If you do, Miss Granger, this place will be flooded with dark back stabbing wizards and witches. Something is going on because someone thinks to keep the plan of the darkest wizard to grace this earth alive,” he cut in at once.

 

“Just who are you?” Ginny repeated herself.

 

“I cannot tell you because I swore an oath to the Headmaster, Master of Potions and to Mr. Potter,” he almost spat at Harry’s last name.

 

Hermione stood up, walked closer to this wizard as Ginny watched the two warily.

 

“How did you get into my home?” Hermione asked him curiously.

 

“When there are no wards, it’s very easy to do so,” he simply said back.

 

Hermione looked at the dark hair, brown eye, and large nosed wizard before she saw something change. It was the eyes that made her gasp.

 

“Harry?” she asked him.

 

“No. He’s not here yet. But for the future, do not say that name or the other one that people tend use,” The wizard said in warning and then with a crack he was gone.

 

In his wake, there in the air glowed red words: _DO NOT USE HE-WHO-MUS- NOT-BE-NAMED or YOU KNOW WHO._

 

“Hermione,” Ginny said after a while.

 

“Someone is trying to bring back Tom Riddle Junior,” Hermione whispered terrified, slowly turning around to face Ginny.

 

“What?” Ginny asked trying to grasp this.

 

“It makes all the sense in the world Ginny. Think about what you just told me. All of those events? They happened here, within England when He was rising to power. Did you honestly think that we would live in a life where someone else wouldn’t want to try and bring Him back to life? Or to carry out the unfinished plan of His?” Hermione said, looking at Ginny in a pale expression.

 

“I honestly thought that we would,” Ginny said in all honesty.

 

“We pissed off a lot of dark witches and wizards. It wouldn’t surprise me that one of them would start to do this,” Hermione said back, walking through her home and towards the back door.

 

Ginny swiftly followed her, wand at the ready just in case.

 

Hermione was waving her wand around slowly as a lot of spells were casted around her home.

 

When it was all finished, Hermione walked over to Ginny and said “You better do the same to your house. Along with your parents home,”

 

“But why take the word of a strange auror wizard?” Ginny asked back.

 

“Because, if he didn’t tell us that bit, we would have died. And it’s no laughing matter, Ginny,” Hermione replied, thinking on another time.

 

Ginny slowly nodded and then said “Alright, but my spells are not as strong as yours are,”

 

With a nod, Hermione apparited to Ginny’s and Harry’s home to help put the spells that she had used while she, Harry and Ron were looking for the Horcurxes.

 

When it was over; after spending some time with Molly and Author Weasley, Hermione used the Floo network to get back home.

 

Hermione wondered what was actually happening. Ginny had whispered low to both her parents and Hermione more of what was going on throughout the other countries. Molly and Author were worried as was Hermione.

 

With a swift decision, Hermione got her old beaded bag out and put a lot of stuff within it. It was a “Just in case” emergency get away bag.

 

From a far, within a small group of trees, a wizard snarled at not finding the Malfoy Manor and disappeared with a loud cracking sound.


	8. Christmas

**_ Chapter 8: Christmas. _ **

 

For Christmas break, Hermione was relieved that Kodi was back home. She had missed her little girl, though the major argument at King’s Cross was interesting to watch.

 

Hermione didn’t have all of the pieces of what caused it, but she could easily see the jealousy and rage of betrayal from James and Shane.

 

What had happened was that Kodi had been talking and hanging out with Rikard since he came to Hogwarts. James and Shane were upset and Kodi had screamed at them both; they did abandon her when she needed a friend the most.

 

Harry, Ginny and Ron looked at their children and had asked if it was true.

 

Shane told them that both James and he thought it was what their parents wanted them to do since Kodi got in so much trouble.

 

Kodi then burst into tears and ran away.

 

Hermione swiftly ran after her daughter but, soon lost her in the crowd at King’s Cross.

 

Harry, Ginny and Ron, along with his wife, all scolded their children. Stating that wasn’t what they meant and that they were the ones who broke their friendship with Kodi. James and Shane looked down angrily.

 

Hermione had soon found her daughter, sobbing in alcove. She just took her daughter home after that.

 

Today, a day later, was a new day.

 

Hermione had let Kodi sleep in, while writing a letter to both Ginny and Ron.

 

Very suddenly, in the library, the flames of the fireplace in there turned green and out stepped Harry.

 

“Harry?” she greeted him.

 

“Good morning Hermione,” he yawned but also sneezed as some floo powder had tickled his nose.

 

“Bless you. Does Ginny know that you’re here?” Hermione asked him curiously.

 

“Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about what actually happened at King’s Cross,” He said, gently waving his wand as it cleaned up the soot.

 

“From what I can tell and what Kodi has told me through her letters during her school year, they didn’t talk to her. They left her alone and didn’t say anything after her detention,” Hermione told him, gently biting her lower lip.

 

Harry scuffed and said “From how James had told it, it sounded like he was jealous of Kodi for even having a friend. I grounded him from playing Quidditch. It was Ron’s idea since both boys love to play it so much,”

 

“Ooh I bet they didn’t like that,” she exclaimed, looking up at him.

 

“No,” Harry said back, gently sitting down beside her.

 

“There’s another reason why you’re here,” she said, looking him over.

 

Fidgeting, Harry tried to keep quiet.

 

“You know why that Auror wizard was following me. Why he suddenly stepped out and said no on _his_ name?” Hermione said, looking directly at Harry.

 

Harry heavily sighed and said “Yes, I know why. I know now from someone that something is going on. Ron and I have been tracking down the remaining death eaters but, they all slipped away into other countries. They’re rebuilding, Hermione. Rebuilding to have another attack, another war,”

 

“To finish with what their so called half-blood master couldn’t finish,” Hermione whispered, paling.

 

“Yes. Granted, when they were small, we didn’t let them go. But, somehow someone is organizing all of this again. We just got our feet back. How more lives will it cost this time?” Harry spat out in anger.

 

“I don’t know. I don’t have the answer to any of that,” she replied, looking at her long time best friend.

 

“I have aurors watching you, Ginny, Ron, Hogwarts, Ron’s parents and their home. Along with Hagrid and the Order. The storm that we faced, we knew it was coming. This time around, their striking harder and faster than before,” Harry told her, hoping that she could understand.

 

“But Hogwarts doesn’t need-”

 

“Hermione, I am not taking any chances. I don’t think I can handle you grieving anymore,” Harry cut in, looking into her eyes.

 

Hermione looked up at him and whispered “You would be too, if Ginny had died, Harry,”

 

“I know, but I also know that she would have wanted me to move on. Kodi notices you being sad; she’s commented it to James and Shane a couple of times while at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy wouldn’t have wanted you to be like this. To be half living,” Harry tried, swallowing nervously.

 

Hermione stared at Harry and then said “You weren’t there when we got separated at his manor. You didn’t see how much he healed me when…he had come Harry. You didn’t see how his mother and father made a portkey out of a family photo album of Draco. For the both of us to get away. So forgive me for grieving the unspoken hero of which that changed my life forever,”

 

Harry looked down.

 

Hermione had never spoken of what actually happen when they got separated that day. Any time that he or Ron or anyone else got talking of this subject, Hermione would walk away. They would then, wouldn’t hear from her for days almost weeks on end. It was troubling.

 

Now that she was actually telling him of it.

 

“What did happen, Hermione?” He asked her, looking up into her eyes.

 

Getting up, Hermione walked over to a bookshelf, pulled one of the leather books as it then trigged a hidden space. That hidden space suddenly revealed itself.

 

Harry watched Hermione as she had a glass spiral case. He knew what the little glass bottles were.

 

Hermione heavily sighed and then picked out two of the little glass bottles. She turned around, walked over to Harry and held out her hand.

 

The milk silky liquid inside of the little glass bottles shifted and glowed a bit as Harry took them carefully.

 

“If you really want to know…” She said to him but trailed off.

 

Harry nodded and then said “Alright. I’ll take a look of these later. Is there anything else that I need to know….before hand?”

 

Hermione sat down next to Harry and whispered “I was tortured for much longer then what Bellatrix did to me. By him….personally,”

 

Harry looked on in utter horror of this.

 

“I don’t know how long I was under the torture curse….it could be why I’ve grieved for so long. It took me a couple of weeks to fully recover with …Draco….getting things from St. Mungo’s,” Hermione continued, looking at the floor.

 

Harry just wrapped his arms around his best friend and hugged her tightly. She wrapped an arm around him and returned the hug.

 

“Are you coming over for Christmas dinner?” Harry asked her curiously.

 

“You know that it always here, so yes?” Hermione replied back, smiling.

 

He chuckled and then said “Alright. Well…I got to get going,”

 

“See you later Harry,” she replied as she watched her friend disappear once more in the green flames of her fireplace.

 

A second later, Hermione felt someone hugging her.

 

“Good morning, Kodi,” she said kissing the top of her daughter’s head.

 

“Morning…Mummy,” Kodi yawned in the middle.

 

“Come on, let’s get you some food and then you can help me with getting this place all Christmas-y,” Hermione said, smiling.

 

“Alright!” Kodi excitedly said, dashing off to the kitchen.

 

.

“Oh my Merlin,” Ginny said as everyone walked through the fireplace.

 

Everywhere you looked within Hermione’s home there were Christmas decorations hung up.

 

The Library had its own Christmas tree with wrapped colorful presents under its lower branches.

 

A nice cinnamon and pine smell filled the entire home.

 

It just welcomed you with warmth.

 

“Hermione!” Ron yelled out.

 

“Living room, Ronald Weasley!” they heard from some distance.

 

“Honestly Ron!” Mrs. Weasley scolded him.

 

He looked sheepish as they all walked to where she and Kodi were at.

 

Kodi wore her new black skirt, red and black plaid long sleeved shirt and matching hair bow in her ponytail with also wearing black flat shiny shoes.

 

“Hermione!” Mrs. Weasley greeted her, hugging and kissing her cheek with a smile.

 

“Happy Christmas Mrs. Weasley,” she replied back, smiling too.

 

“Happy Christmas,” Mrs. Weasley said “You out did yourself once again with the decorations. Where on earth did you get them?”

 

“Kodi and I decided to buy them in the Muggle world. She picked out the theme this year and helped me put it around our home,” Hermione proudly said back.

 

“You did all of this Kodi?” Ginny asked her in awe.

 

“Yes. Doesn’t it feel magical?” Kodi asked with bright excited eyes.

 

All of the adults could remember their Christmas and how excited it all was.

 

“Yes. It is very magical. Great job,” Harry congratulated her, smiling.

 

“Thank you, Uncle Harry,” she replied.

 

“James,” Mrs. Weasley started off sternly “Shane. Don’t you two have something to tell to Miss Kodi?”

 

Both boys wore their fancy slack pants and their jumpers from Mrs. Weasley with their first letter of their name on it.

 

James walked forward and then said “I am sorry for hurting you during our time at school, when I thought what my parents wanted was to not be friends with you. Can you please forgive me?”

 

Kodi looked at James as he pushed his glasses back up his nose as Shane walked forward next.

 

“I am sorry for hurting you during our time at school, when I thought what my parents wanted was to not be friends with you. Can you please forgive me?” He also repeated what James had said to her already.

 

“Why did you ignore me?” she asked them both.

 

Both boys looked to their parents on this but then looked back when they didn’t get an answer.

 

“We honestly thought that our parents didn’t want us to hang out with you anymore,” James said warily.

 

“And that you would cause more harm than good,” Shane supplied next.

 

“Are you honestly thick in the head?” Kodi snapped at them both.

 

They both jumped and took a step back.

 

“Do you honestly forget who those people, right behind you, are?” Kodi continued on, pointing to Harry.

 

Hermione did her best to not chuckle because it was funny.

 

“They broke nearly 1000 school rules or probably more, while they were trying to bring down the enemy! Let alone dealing with others at his side. Again, you are guys thick?” Kodi scolded them, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff.

 

“No, we’re not thick in the head!” Shane snapped back irritably.

 

“Uh huh,” was all Kodi had to say and walked away.

 

James walked after her and said “Kodi, we’re sorry!”

 

“You know that I don’t have any other friends beside you two, right?” she snapped at him.

 

“Yes, that is why I don’t want to lose my friendship with you,” James continued as the adults moved slowly to the kitchen.

 

“What honestly made you think that you didn’t want to be my friend anymore?” Kodi asked them both.

 

“Here,” James said, handing her the letter.

 

Kodi took it and began to read it.

 

_“James and Shane,_

_Since you already know that Kodi Malfoy has gotten into trouble, we your parents would like it to be less friendly with her. She got in trouble, mind you._

_Hope all is going well,_

_Love your parents,”_

 

Kodi stood and ran with yelling “Mum!”

 

Hermione was already walking hurriedly to her as Kodi handed the letter over.

 

“What…?” Hermione said, but then reading.

 

“Kodi what is it?” Harry said, walking up to them as well.

 

“That’s the letter that James and Shane got from you,” Kodi told them both.

 

“Harry…” Hermione said, re-reading the letter twice now.

 

Harry stood next to her, reading over her shoulder and then asked “What owl was it that sent it to you boys?”

 

“A snow owl. Almost like your first one, dad,” James answered him.

 

Hermione and Harry looked at one another.

 

“This letter isn’t what I sent you,” Harry then looked at the boys.

 

“It’s not?” both Shane and James asked at once.

 

“No. In fact it’s the opposite of what this says,” Harry said, looking at Hermione.

 

“Harry…you don’t think?” she said in a hushed tone.

 

“Hermione….please excuse me for tonight,” Harry said and walked over to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder and disappeared into the green flames.

 

“Aunt Hermione?” Shane asked her confused.

 

“Your uncle was once subjected to being all alone. Back in our 5th year. Now, let’s get to baking shall we?” she told them, shooing them all into the kitchen.

 

Ginny and Mrs. Weasley looked at Hermione curiously.

 

“Later,” she mouthed to them both.

 

Pretty soon, they all were into the holiday spirit. Singing, playing out in the snow with an epic snowball fight (Harry had rejoined them for this), making gingerbread houses contest and last but certainly not least opening their presents.

 

The kids had a field day as the adults put up protective spells so that the paper and whatever else doesn’t hit them.

 

It was at dinner that everyone was talking to each other and it was a very warm soft glow.

 

“Harry,” Mrs. Weasley said “I heard from Author, that you have been getting mysterious letters?”

 

Harry looked up and at her before stating “Nothing more than I can handle,”

 

“Do you know who they are from?” She asked him next.

 

“Mrs. Weasley, if there was anything to know of, I would tell you,” He told her, going back to his dinner.

 

Mrs. Weasley went back to eating.

 

“Mum? Where is dad anyway?” Ginny asked her mother.

 

“Oh, he went to visit Teddy and Bill. He’ll be along shortly,” she replied, getting more stuffing.

 

“Aunt Hermione?” James asked “What kind of bird is this?”

 

“Turkey, James,” she answered him.

 

He nodded as he got more of it.

 

“It’s the same as it is every year, James,” Kodi said smiling at him.

 

“I know, but it just tastes so good!” James replied back.

 

“Mum does it the muggle way. That’s how it tastes so good,” she told him smiling.

 

“So do you kid like your presents?” Ron asked them.

 

“How can we not like our new Luna Phoenix’s?” Shane replied back, smiling.

 

“Yeah!” James chimed in too.

 

James got his new broom as Kodi wanted books instead.

 

“You sure you don’t want our brooms, Kodi?” Shane asked her, smiling.

 

“Maybe later,” she shrugged at him.

 

It was then that a patronus of a wolf ran through Hermione’s dining room and them all.

 

“Who could that be?” she asked curiously as Harry stood up.

 

“I have to go,” he told them, nearly running to the nearest fireplace and was gone within the green flames.

 

“What could that be all about?” Ginny asked.

 

“Who do we know that has a wolf patronus?” Ron asked next.

 

“Remus is dead though?” Ginny said looking bewildered.

 

“Whoever it is, Harry must know who it is and it must be from work,” Hermione thoughtfully said, going back to her dinner.

 

 

* * *

 

It was very strange of being within his office at the Ministry. It was also very silent when it would be buzzing like a busy beehive.

 

Harry looked around and then lit the candles around his office.

 

“What? No…No. How can this be?” he demanded when he saw who was standing in his office.

 

The person didn’t say anything but continued to stare him.

 

“Am I dreaming?” Harry asked almost to himself.

 

“I would hope that you not be dreaming,” the figure finally said back.

 

Harry swallowed and then asked “Why are you here?”


	9. Surprise.

**_ Chapter 9: Surprise. _ **

 

Hermione heavily sighed as she waved to Kodi from Platform 9 3/4. It was very interesting to have her daughter over for Christmas this year.

 

Hermione was slowly seeing that her little angel wasn’t so little anymore.

 

Just as she appeared within the Manor, she gasped out of fright to see someone standing there.

 

“Harry!” she exclaimed, her heart in her throat as it pounded wildly.

 

“Sorry, Hermione for scaring you, but I needed to speak with you,” he said, looking at the ground.

 

Right then, she knew something was up.

 

“Harry what’s wrong?” she asked, walking over to him.

 

“Nothing’s wrong. Just that I hope you won’t faint,” he carefully said to her.

 

“What are you hiding?” she asked him next.

 

He heavily sighed and prayed that this would work.

 

Hearing footsteps, Hermione turned to the archway that led into the hallway.

 

“Not yet!” Harry hissed at the person.

 

“You know she’s not going to believe what you are about to tell her, Potter,” the voice of the person snarled back.

 

Hermione’s world felt like it had gone off course.

 

“D-Draco?” she stammered out, paling.

 

He slowly walked into the living room and stared into the woman who has haunted his entire being. He walked over to her; not looking away as her pupils widened.

 

“Hello, Mione,” he muttered softly to her.

 

Just like a puppet cut from a string, Hermione collapsed limply into Draco’s fast reaction arms. Dipping down and scooping her up into his arms, he carried her over to the couch and gently put her down.

 

“And you said that she wasn’t going to believe me,” Harry retorted to him.

 

“Shut up, Potter,” Draco mumbled, making sure that Hermione was comfortable.

 

Harry wisely did remain quiet as he walked into the kitchen to get some strong tea. In his head he was only counting down to when Hermione woke up.

 

When she does, it will be like a bomb going off. At least until after the shock wore off, and then Harry will just sit back and let Draco take the full brunt of it.

 

He carried back the tray of cups and tea to the living room as he saw that Hermione was slowly waking up.

 

Draco had sneakily taken her wand from her. He knew that Potter would be watching and wasn’t going to give him that pleasure.

 

“Mmm…” Hermione moaned, slowly opening her eyes.

 

“Morning, Darling,” Draco teased her.

 

Her eyes snapped to his and sat up.

 

“This can’t be real,” she said back.

 

Gently reaching over and cupping her face; his thumb rubbing her cheek slowly, he then whispered “But it is,”

 

Hermione then began to reach for her wand when it wasn’t in her pockets.

 

“Don’t think of hexing me, when I have a good reason for not being with you,” He stated firmly back.

 

She glared at him and then reached out and slapped him hard across the face.

 

Draco glared back at her and pretty soon a wrestle started.

 

Harry stood up but then felt like he couldn’t do much as Draco had gotten Hermione onto her back, holding her hands above her head and sat on her pelvis.

 

“None of that,” Draco hissed low at her, inches away from her face.

 

She struggled to get free but stopped completely when she felt Draco’s lips upon her own.

 

It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a trick. He was really here and kissing her like a man thirsty for water.

 

Her broken heart didn’t know how much more it could take. The broken cracks that were there felt frozen. How could she get that to work again?

 

Draco pulled back and looked down in her eyes.

 

“If I let you go, promise to not hurt me anymore?” He whispered low to her.

 

“Yes,” she whispered back.

 

He nodded and then got his feet on the ground and let go of her wrists, stepping back from her.

 

“We all saw you die! I was there!” she shrieked at him.

 

“No, you did not,” he replied, staring at her.

 

Hermione got to her feet at once and glared at him.

 

“Then why don’t you start explaining, Malfoy,” she snapped at him.

 

Draco didn’t flinch but felt disappointment.

 

“Fine, I will. But don’t hurt me physically either, _Granger_ ,” he snarled back.

 

Hermione stepped back. She didn’t know why she felt like she was wrong, but it did.

 

“When He sent that killing curse at me, it narrowly hit a hidden tree root. I fell backwards down the bank and then ran for the house. After that, all of you heard the tree smash to the ground and all hell broke loose. I got the house, flicking my wrist and had my stuff in an endless backpack and disappeared from there.

 

I read about the defeat of Him while I was in London. Muggle London, mind you. The rest of the His Followers, were scattering. I knew that my journey didn’t end there, it was only beginning. I had visited the Minister of Magic; Kingsley, knowing that you wouldn’t be safe from Them. Taking an oath and signing a lot of paperwork, I became an Auror. So, I followed every lead of theirs after that,” Draco started to explain everything to them both.

 

Harry listened as this wasn’t what Draco had told him the first time.

 

Hermione listened, but still glared at Draco for never telling her of this.

 

“Before you get any further, did you realize that I was pregnant with our daughter?” she snapped at him.

 

Draco looked at her and then softly said “No. Not until you told me, personally that one time,”

 

Hermione gasped and knew when that was.

 

“That….it can’t….it….T-th-that was y-you?” she stammered to him.

 

“Yes Hermione. It was really me. It was the first time since before the War, which I had come back to my home. I honestly didn’t know that I had gotten you pregnant from our time locked away in that house,” Draco replied back, staring into her eyes.

 

Biting her lower lip, Hermione then asked “What did you think of her?”

 

“When you told me that Kodi was our daughter? Horrible. I know that I have missed out on most of her childhood. Fuck, Hermione, I wanted to be there through it all. To feel her first kick against my hand through your stomach. Her birth. Her first laugh, her first word, her first step! So please, don’t think I feel horrible for leaving you behind,” he snapped angrily at himself at the end.

 

“I’m still young, Draco. We can still have more children,” she said, looking confused at him.

 

“Not until all of these bastards are dead, only then will I do that,” he snarled at her.

 

“Okay, breathe you two,” Harry said to them both.

 

The heat between the glaring competition from Draco and Hermione was blistering and Harry didn’t know what to do with each of them.

 

“Hermione,” Harry started, pulling her a bit off balance.

 

“Yes, Harry!” she snapped, looking at him.

 

“Trust me when I say this, because I am a Auror as well, I always think of Ginny whenever I go out on a raid to round these loose lunatics. Draco has a very solid reason to be away but I also know that not being with you and Kodi is not an easy choice to make,” Harry said very calmly.

 

Hermione grounded her teeth and then said “Fine,”

 

Draco watched this exchange between Potter and Hermione. He then watched her walk away from them both.

 

“Potter,” He muttered, worried.

 

“She won’t leave,” Harry reassured Draco and walked into the kitchen.

 

Harry saw Hermione crying. Draco brushed past him and then took Hermione into his arms. Harry watched his best friend fall completely and utterly apart in Draco’s arms. It was something that Harry himself has been in but, it still broke his heart to see his “sister” this broken.

 

“I’m sorry that I left you and Kodi behind. I’m sorry for not being here when I should,” Draco whispered into Hermione’s ear, holding her quaking and shaking body tightly to his.

 

Hermione’s sobs slowly started to fade, but the hurt was still there. The way, that Draco had forced everyone to think, that he was dead during the war.

 

“Harry, get Kodi,” Hermione said to him, locking her watery puffy red eyes at him.

 

He nodded and walked to the fireplace.

“Do you think it’s-?”

 

“She has wanted a father since she could figure things out at the age of 1. She needs to know just like I did,” Hermione cut him off with a glare.

 

Draco nodded as the fireplace roared to life once again and Harry stepped forward with a very confused but also concerned Kodi Malfoy.

 

Draco softly gasped as he finally saw his daughter in real life.

 

“Mum?” Kodi asked looking at her.

 

“Come here, honey,” Hermione said as Kodi walked over to her at once.

 

“What’s going on?” Kodi asked her, taking in her appearance.

 

“Remember how I said that your father was dead?” Hermione began, looking at the floor before she lost it completely.

 

“Yes?” Kodi said, still trying to figure this out.

 

“Apparently, he is not dead. Your Uncle Harry here just told me that your father is in fact, a live. He has been on this crusade to get all of the …Followers, into prison. He also knew that by taking this path, it would be highly dangerous. That is why he made it look like that he had died during the War,” Hermione explained to her daughter.

 

Draco was frowning at Hermione as he suddenly realized that he was invisible by her wandless magic.

 

Kodi gasped and said “Are you serious? You’re not pulling-?”

 

“Kodi,” Harry spoke up calmly “I wouldn’t hurt your mother more if this wasn’t true. But, there is someone who does want to meet you, right now. Draco Malfoy,”

 

Draco undid the invisibility spell and knelt down on his knee.

 

Kodi jumped and hid behind her mother as she stared at her father.

 

“Hello Kodi,” Draco softly greeted her, smiling a little.

 

Kodi just stared at him and then walked timidly over to him. Her small hands reached out and then very gently touched Draco’s shoulder and jumped back.

 

“It’s okay. I know that my sudden appearance here is startling. I however, would like to get to know you better,” Draco spoke again, still smiling at her.

 

Kodi then did something that only a Gryffindor would do: She leapt into him. Draco almost fell backwards as he wrapped one arm around his daughter. Thankfully Hermione was there to steady him.

 

Harry suppressed a chuckle as he smiled at the family.

 

“Daddy,” Kodi whispered into Draco’s neck hugging him tightly.

 

Draco swallowed thickly as he felt tears well up. Hermione wiped away a couple stray tears from her face as she too heard this.

 

Draco soon pulled back and stood up. He looked Kodi over and smiled happily.

 

“My daughter….I have a daughter,” he muttered to himself.

 

Kodi blushed and walked over to Hermione’s side.

 

“What do we do now?” Hermione asked, trying to figure something out.

 

“With your permiss-”

 

“You don’t need my permission, Draco. She is our daughter. You have full rights to her just like I do. Harry, how long did you say that she could be gone from Hogwarts?” Hermione cut Draco off and asked Harry.

 

“I didn’t. I just told Professor McGonagall that there was a family emergency and that Kodi needed to be home at once,” Harry replied, knowing that these sort things needed time.

 

“You’re brilliant, Potter,” Draco phrased as he looked down at his daughter.

 

“Eh, that goes to the woman standing next to Kodi,” Harry replied, smirking.

 

Kodi giggled at her parents and Uncle.

 

“That she is, but, I need to speak with you on a more serious topic, Potter,” Draco told Harry, looking at him.

 

Harry nodded and then said “Living room?”

 

“Sure,” Draco agreed and then walked after Harry.

 

Hermione gently took Kodi’s hand and pulled her to the dining wooden table.

 

“He’s really real…” Kodi said in sudden comprehension.

 

“Yes he is. For years, Kodi, I thought he was dead,” Hermione replied back, getting some tea for them all to drink.

 

“But how could you have known, Mum? You guys were fighting against a dark wizard and his minions. If Dad had to go down this path to protect us, then I don’t blame him for it,” Kodi said, almost sounding like her uncle.

 

Hermione nodded and then said “I have a feeling that he didn’t want to show himself unless we are in danger,”

 

“What do you mean?” Kodi asked her, fixing her tea cup the way she liked it: milk with no sugar.

 

“I mean, something is going on that had to force your father into us knowing that he is alive. The remaining minions as you called them, are still on the run and quite possibly are cooking some evil plans up,” Hermione answered her with the truth instead of false lies.

 

Kodi nodded as she sipped her tea.

 

Draco and Harry soon walked back and over to them.

 

“I will be back, soon, Hermione. I didn’t realize some things,” Harry informed her and then hurried over to the fireplace in the kitchen.

 

“What was that about?” Kodi asked curiously.

 

“Just some things that your uncle needed to know of,” Draco smoothly said, gently bringing out a medium size soft tan teddy bear.

 

Kodi gasped and then looked over at her mother.

 

“It’s okay,” Hermione whispered to her daughter.

 

Kodi nodded and then gently took the bear with saying “Thank you daddy,”

 

“You’re welcome. Now, this bear is extra special,” Draco told her.

 

“It is? How?” Kodi said, looking it over now.

 

“If you get separated from either your mother or I, it will send you to a safe place where the adults there will take care of you,” Draco explained, pointing to the sewn heart on top of where the heart would be on the bear.

 

“Draco you sure”

 

“Hermione. I know when someone is plotting my death. I want Kodi to be safe,” Draco cut her off with a firm eye.

 

Hermione nodded and sighed.

 

“Daddy?” Kodi asked him.

 

Draco was still getting use to being called that.

 

“Why are you here?” she asked him flat out.

 

“I do believe your mother told you a bit of the war?” he asked her.

 

“Yes. How a dark wizard took over twice and in the second war he almost succeeded in doing so. Along with his minions,” Kodi said, nodding.

 

“Yes, well…his minions are still on the loose and need to get caught,” he said, not going any further than that.

 

Kodi got down and then walked over to Draco. He sat back as he saw that his daughter climb up and sit on his lap. Kodi leaned back and rested against Draco’s chest. He just watched her, not sure of what to do or how to go about it.

 

Hermione smiled into her cup of tea. From her view point, she could easily see how close Kodi and Draco were alike in looks.

 

“Hermione?” Draco said, looking down as their daughter fell asleep on him.

 

Snickering softly into her hand, Hermione stood up with whispering “Come on, the couch might be better for you,”

 

Draco nodded as he gently scooped his daughter up into his arms and walked after Hermione to the living room.

 

A sudden shock wave and sound snapped into place.

 

Hermione had her wand out and was standing close to Draco.

 

“It’s alright. It’s just the ancient spells snapping back into place,” Draco told her.

 

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked him, looking over at him.

 

“When a Malfoy patriarch is alive, not truly dead or is gone from the manor for a long time, the spells will reactivate again,” Draco explained as he pulled Hermione down onto the couch.

 

Kodi shifted a bit but remained asleep.

 

Hermione sat down next to Draco who still had their daughter in his arms.

 

“Does this mean…after centauries, that the Malfoy name will die?” she asked him curiously.

 

“Not unless you would like to work on making a little brother for Kodi?” Draco teased her, smirking.

 

Huffing at this Hermione blushed while Draco chuckled.

 

“Not funny,” she told him.

 

“Oh, but I do find it hilarious, my clever witch,” Draco teased her more.

 

Hermione snorted.

 

“Though, it’s close to 700 years since there was a female born as a Malfoy,” Draco informed her.

 

Hermione gasped and looked at him.

 

“Yeah, I know,” Draco said, shrugging his shoulder.

 

“Draco…” Hermione began but with a stern look, she knew not to ask.

 

“I’m sorry, Hermione. I wish I could tell you, but if I did, they would know. It’s bad enough that I had to tell Potter. And I know that you can take care of yourself, but this time around, Lioness, we have a daughter to think about,” Draco said, gently reaching over and taking her hand into his.

 

Hermione heavily sighed, for he was right in this fact.

 

“Alright. And yes we do. Just promise me that you will look after yourself a lot more? I don’t know if I can handle going through you being dead…. again,” she said, slowly looking up into his sliver eyes.

 

“I can’t promise that, Hermione. Though I will keep your request in mind,” he said, leaning over and softly kissing her on the lips.

 

God it has been too long.

 

Hermione gasped as she has forgotten what it felt like to have his lips on hers once again.

 

Draco smiled and then snapped his fingers. The house elves took Kodi to her bedroom as Draco continued to make out with the witch of his life.

 

Hermione soon found herself laying on her back of the couch. Draco was like man of thirst. He nibbled, he sucked, and he slipped his tongue into her devious mouth. Thankfully breathed through his nose.

 

A soft moan crept from Hermione’s throat as Draco continued to snog her into the couch.

 

She pulled back with lazy lustful eyes gazing up at Draco.

 

“I love you,” He whispered to her.

 

“I love you as well,” she whispered back as he then rested against her body.

 

Draco knew that he couldn’t make love to Hermione. It would be 1) far too soon for them to do that and 2) he was a wanted wizard by the dark lord’s minions.

 

For now, he took what Hermione was comfortable with. Sure, he had missed her and couldn’t hold it back with kissing her, however he couldn’t help it. She was gorgeous to him.

 

Soon they both fell asleep on the couch.

 

Thankfully the flash from Kodi’s camera didn’t wake them up as she grinned. She sat down with her school books in front of her and started to do essays on each and every spell, potion, and mention of plants and of the chapter itself.

 

_‘Mum would kill me if I slacked off on my studies,’_ she thought as she worked away on her books.


	10. Chapter 10

**_ Author’s Note: _ **

**__ **

_Hello everyone._

_Yeah, this is the last chapter for this part. I couldn’t think of anything else to write so I came up with this._

_I want to thank everyone who has liked, left kudos, favorite and follow this fic. However, I will say that this isn’t over. Oooh no. This is just the beginning._

_With the next installment, I hope I can flush out the Dramione part._

_So let me answer some questions:_

_Is Draco and Auror?_ Yes he is _._

_What does the trek in the Forbidden Forest is really about?_ That will ruin the entire trilogy on what I am attempting to do with this trilogy. So this will go unanswered for now.

_Will Draco and Hermione split?_ No.

_So when is the next installment?_ Right after I get some fics finished first. Mostly the **Photographer of Royals fic**. If you haven’t read that yet, I highly suggest that you go and check it out. Might surprise you.

_Alright, so thank you guys for reading this first part of the trilogy. And keep your eyes peeled on whenever the next installment comes out._

_Thank you,_

_Alonia143._

* * *

 

**__ **

**_ Chapter 10: School and beyond. _ **

 

Kodi was with her parents for the first time a little over a couple of weeks. During that time, Draco got to learn all of his daughter’s life. From baby pictures, little baby shoes, and memories; thanks to Hermione.

 

Kodi got some stuff that once belonged to her deceased grandmother: Narcissa.

 

Some of the things went to second hand shops and the rest stayed with Draco and Hermione.

 

Kodi wanted to meet her grandparents from her father’s side of the family, but since they were dead, she couldn’t. But the diaries that were left behind from Narcissa were helpful.

 

Shane and James cornered her on the stairwell that was within the Gryffindor common room.

 

“What happened?” James hissed low.

 

“My mother was sent to St. Mungo’s since she had fallen down the stairs,” Kodi replied to them both, lying.

 

Shane and James looked in horror.

 

“Yeah. The house elves were making breakfast and since they were getting the pans out, they didn’t hear her cry for help. I’m still livid on that,” Kodi huffed in fake annoyance.

 

 “Is she alright?” James asked her, worried.

 

“Oh yes. She had to stay for a few nights but, it scared me greatly when I saw Uncle Harry,” she said, looking down.

 

They both nodded and then said “Well, we’re glad that she’s alright,”

 

She nodded and then walked to her dorm room.

 

The next day, Kodi was at the Gryffindor table when the mail came in. Lots of owls swooping and dropping stuff to their owners.

 

What Kodi didn’t expect were 5 or 6 owls carrying a large box and a letter?

 

“What do you have there, Kodi?” James asked her curiously.

 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she said, shrugging but quickly opened the letter first.

 

_“Dearest,_

_If you receive this in the Great Hall, take it to your dorm. It’s not meant for anyone else to see._

_I hope you take great care of this._

_With love,_

_Your mother,”_

 

Kodi didn’t understand the letter that much; she didn’t go against of opening it up in the great hall. So she took it back up to her dorm quickly.

 

James and Shane waited at the foot of the staircase in Gryffindor common room.

 

Kodi then pulled the drapes closed around her bed and opened the box.

 

Within the box was a lot of tissue paper with a second letter.

 

_“My beloved daughter,_

_I regret of ever leave you and your mother behind. I don’t know how I can make it up to you. I found this dress while I was aboard in India. I didn’t truly understand why I bought it, until now._

_There is also a broom that I picked up in New Zealand. Your mother will have my head for this, but it’s the fastest yet. The Lunar Phoenix. Do not be so scared to ask for help on how to learn to fly. It might just save your life, like it did with mine._

_Thirdly, though your mother nearly had KITTENS that I was going to send this through the Owl system, there is a little fury creature here at home. And he’s all yours, love. Will need a name too. Here is a picture of the little guy._

_And last but not least, here is new cloak that is charmed to keep you warm during the cold months and cool during the hot months. But this is no common cloak. No my dear daughter, this cloak will grow and adjust with you as you grow up. Take care of it, please._

_I love you dearly, Kodi._

_Draco,”_

 

Kodi had tears running down her face as she saw the new puppy with her parents. The picture was moving as the puppy was barking cutely at the camera while her mother was laughing as well as her father smiling.

 

She hugged the dress and cloak tightly to her chest.

 

Pulling out a fresh parchment, she quickly wrote her reply letter.

 

Knowing that classes would start soon, she pulled the cloak over herself and hurried down the stairs.

 

“Whoa, nice cloak, Kodi,” Shane said, smiling.

 

“Thank you. My mum got it for me,” she some-what lied.

 

James nodded and then said “Is that what you had to open in here alone for?”

 

“Yes!” Kodi snapped at him with a glare.

 

He shrugged and then walked to their classes.

 

The rest of the classes were suddenly harder than before. It was like the professors took it easy on them for the first holidays and then panicked that they forgot to teach them anything that the students wouldn’t forget.

 

When dinner was serving, Kodi couldn’t help but skip it as she admired her new Lunar Phoenix. She knew that Shane loved playing Quidditch, but flying was completely different from that.

 

There were no rules that you had to abide by or other people in or getting in the way.

 

So when she ran outside while everyone was busy eating, she gripped the handle and then took off into the air. Holding onto the handle tightly, Kodi leveled out about 60 feet in the air and was stunned by the landscape.

 

She didn’t know that she was drifting into the forbidden forest and the thick trees with her black new cloak, hidden her from view. She hit a low branch and thankfully was only some feet from the ground before she fell.

 

Kodi rolled and then came to a stop.

 

Groaning, she slowly sat up on her elbows and then yelped in pain.

 

There, in the little light that filtered through the thick towering trees, she saw a black stone.

 

SNAP!

 

She put the stone into her pocket and then took to the air as someone walked around muttering.

 

Kodi hid silently as she saw Professor Carl.

 

_‘What is he doing out here?’_ she thought, watching him carefully.

 

His wand was lit and was hunched over.

 

Slowly, Kodi flew away as a branch snapped; not realizing Professor Carl shot a curse at the trees and bushes.

 

 

* * *

 

Kodi was visiting the library more and more. Exams were coming up and the homework just kept making a mountain or two.

 

Shane and James were complaining and were begging for her help.

 

She mapped out study sessions with them. She didn’t let them cheat or copy her own notes, but it worked.

 

Before any of them knew it, it was well into the New Year. January had flown by and so did February.

 

March was hectic as the professors were nearly running around with their head’s cut off on how much they still needed to cram more information into the first years.

 

Hermione and Draco however, were not having a pleasant time with one another or whenever Draco had come home for the night.

 

The arguing was pretty intense and more than once Hermione would fire off a spell but, Draco never shot back.

 

No one knew of this, not even Harry or Ginny.

 

Hermione and Draco had to work through this. Just like any other couple. But they weren’t going to give up on one another, not after they had just found each other.

 

So when it was the end of the school year, Hermione went to the train station to pick up Kodi. Her memories from the start of the school year to now was, well, drastic.

 

Harry was there with his wife and Ron was there too.

 

Kodi had gotten off of the train and walked hurriedly over to her mother.

 

“Ooh!” Hermione said out of surprise.

 

“Hehehe, hi Mum,” Kodi said, smiling.

 

“Hi Kodi, ready to go home?” Hermione replied, smiling back.

 

“Yeah, let’s go!” Kodi said excitedly.

 

“I think you ate too many sweets from the trolley cart,” Hermione commented but were gone with a crack.

 

Kodi looked around eagerly and asked “Where’s dad?”

 

“Right here,” Draco’s voice whispered from the doorway.

 

“Daddy!” Kodi exclaimed and ran over to hug him.

 

Draco lifted her up and scooped her butt with his arm as she hugged him.

 

“How’s my little girl?” he asked, smiling at her.

 

“Good. I think I beat mum in her high scores,” Kodi said, beaming.

 

“Oooh. Hear that, Granger? Someone might just have bested you in your high scores,” Draco smirked at Hermione.

 

“It’s Malfoy,” Kodi corrected her dad.

 

“He’s only teasing, Kodi and that’s great. Someone had to beat,” Hermione said, smiling back.

 

“What are we going to do for the summer mum?” Kodi asked her mum.

 

“Nothing,” Hermione replied to her.

 

“What? We always go somewhere,” Kodi protested.

 

“I know, but Draco figures it’s far too dangerous to travel. So we’ll be doing local events and such,” Hermione explained to their daughter.

 

“Oh, well okay. Daddy, can you put me down?” Kodi asked him.

 

“No? Why would I do that?” he chuckled, gently holding her closer.

 

Hermione just counted down when Kodi let out a laughing shriek. Draco had found her tickle spots.

 

Hermione watched Draco tickle Kodi relentlessly as she shrieked and laughed.

 

“Dinner will be at 5, how about you go unpack with your father,” Hermione told them both.

 

Kodi wheezed with a goofy smile and then sprang from him, running to her bedroom with “come on dad!”

 

Draco walked over to Hermione and whispered “We’ll continue this later,”

 

“You know it,” she replied back, not backing down.

 

Draco nodded and walked away.

 

Hermione heaved a heavy sigh and walked into the kitchen.

 

However, it was only the beginning of something major. Something that their nightmares would come back to life. That their memories of a certain dark lord will find a way towards the light.

 

**_FIN._ **


End file.
